Do all the good you can, In all the ways you can
by Northernbloke
Summary: During the Dominion war, whilst on a mission behind enemy lines on a hostile planet, Chief O'Brien and Lieutenant Dax discover a Romulan ship apparently stranded on that world. What they uncover next, has the potential to destroy the Federations alliance with the Romulans, and to change the fate of subjects of the Romulan Empire forever.
1. Chief O'Briens War

**1. CHIEF O'BRIENS WAR**

**THIS **bloody war with the Dominion and their alpha quadrant allies was the second major protracted conflict he had endured in his lifetime, and already it was two conflicts too many.

It had been said that some men discovered their true sense of destiny and purpose in war, but not Miles Edward O'Brien. He hated the whole affair and all the foul works it entailed. He had neither the temperament nor blood-lust to relish such appalling conflict, and had detested the evils that flowed from such affairs, what they forced him to do in the course of "duty".

He'd learned that with such brutal first hand experience when he had accidentally watched that Cardassian soldier disintegrate in a lethal blast of fire from a phaser he thought was on stun, but was at its highest setting, vaporizing the man from existence; a phaser fired by his own hand. How right there, he had joined that most exclusive of clubs, of men who had taken another's life with their own hands.

In the midst of the horrors that had taken place during the Cardassian sneak attack on Setlik three during the border wars, O'Brien felt that his life would never again be quite the same. He'd prided himself on going out of his way to inflict even unwilling harm on the smallest and most significant creatures. But on the battlefield of Setlick, he had prematurely terminated the existence of a living; breathing sentient.

It had haunted him ever since, and he knew that some of the lingering resentment he harbored towards the Cardassians was in part due to what he felt he had become because of that trauma. How they had violated some of his earlier innocence in order to continue their grasping aggression towards their neighbors.

O'Brien felt a keen contempt for the people who had allowed this terrible war to rage on as it did. Unscrupulous warlords like Gul Dukat, and the Pya'Chl hive generals who satiated their greed and ruthless ambition, by aligning their preople in hock to the Dominion, so they could pursue their brutal thirst for conquering other peoples stuff, using other peoples sons and daughters to fight their battles.

How many young lives on the battlefield had their lives ended, or their minds and spirit crushed by being caught up in the slaughter on the front lines. Did the likes of Dukat ever take time to think about privations of the ordinary men and women who made the progress of their wars possible? O'Brien doubted that Dukat ever lost sleep over it. Anyone who had been head of the enslavement and occupation of an entire planet probably had little in the way of conscience.

O'Brien watched as the icy planet of Zalod grew in size on the viewscreen of the Sabre assault craft he and Jadzia were now travelling in. There was no sign of actual fighting going on as they approached, but the scars of war were there to see though. As they approached orbit they saw the wrecked remnants of Pya'Chl battlecruisers and the planets orbital defense network littered about in orbit, huge chunks of phaser and disrupter scarred flotsom scattered about the face of the world. O'Brien even saw hunks of hull plating that looked horribly like those found on Starfleet and Klingon vessels.

Although the skeleton Pya'Chl fleet protecting their colony had been comprehensively outgunned, their soldiers had upheld their reputation for ferocity and not retreating in the face of superior firepower. Dax had her work cut out navigating the debris field so they could land safely on the surface outpost without smashing into a lump of wreckage.

O'brien glumly surveyed the fall out of the battle and said "God what a mess. Obviously, discretion being the better part of valour mustn't translate well to the Pya'Chl". They must have hung in there to the bitter end. Even more casualties piling up on the front lines again. I just hope we didn't lose too many on our side in seizing the outpost."

Dax didn't take her eyes off the ships helm consoles, but she responded. "Pya'Chl starship personnel can give the most tenacious of Klingon crews stiff competition for fighting to the last. The powers that be may consider this theater of operations peripheral to the outcome of the overall war, but there is nothing peripheral about the destruction that's gone on here. I only hope any information about enemy plans we can salvage from that base turn out to be worth it."

Chief O'Brien agreed with Dax's sentiments , the fighting had been a lot fiercer than should have been expected at a world that wasn't on the major battlefronts. Zalod was a colony of the Pya'Chl, whose militant leaders had decided to join the Dominion just like Cardassia had. They were less powerful and had far less ships and Jem'Hadar legions in their territory that was a little offset from the main combat theatres, but the Dominion was launching joint attacks on the allies with them from Pya'Chl territory.

However for all the Pya'Chl seemed to be getting from an alliance with the Dominion, the fact remained that in the greater scheme of things; they were still a lesser ally, and with the Romulans recently joining the war on the Federations side; they found themselves increasing sidelined as the Dominion pulled their forces away from their worlds and diverted them to fight on the new battle lines opening up on the Romulan fronts.

It was for this reason that Dax and O'Brien found themselves at Zalod, the planet contained several bases and outposts used by the Pya'Chl and the Dominion to fight the war, but with the planets coastal defences so comprehensively breached, the world was all but undefended and ripe for a counter attack by the Federation alliance forces, and that was where the two of them came in, they were to sneak into the largest of the military outposts and gather whatever data and information about enemy forces they could find in the bases surviving computer terminals and sensors, and once they had obtained that information, they were to pepper the base with explosive charges and blow it to high heaven depriving the enemy forces of one more stronghold to attack from.

The planet may not have been strategically important enough to warrant a standing invasion, but being given this one off chance to destroy the military capabilities of this world was not one to decline when it presented itself.

The assault craft was in low orbit now and Zalod's globe filled the viewscreen, which had to compensate and reduce the inherent brightness of the world due to the powerful albedo given off by the icy planets surface. The surface ice which had an orange pink hue due to Zalod's star being a red dwarf star, covered most of the the planet, and was hugely reflective.

Zalod was a cold and inhospitable class M planet locked in a frigid ice age. It's mountainous surface was battered by fierce gale force winds and snow storm systems that were generated by the craggy surface topography of the planet. The seas on the planet were almost all coated with fast moving and unpredictable ice floes, and the atmosphere contained quite high concentrations of volcanic gasses from the numerous volcanoes on the geologically active surface that had the additional side effect of producing near constant tremours all over the planets many faultlines.

O'Brien thought it must be one of the most dismal and depressing Class M planets the Alpha quadrant possessed. O'Brien broke the silence that had descended in the cockpit. He stared out glumly at the hostile world, and said "I'll have to make sure Zalod isn't on my holiday list next year. Keiko and Molly would never speak to me again if I booked a fortnight stay."

Dax laughed "I'd have the opposite problem Chief! Worf would probably wan't us to have our honeymoon here. He'd say it was a character building sort of place." O'Brien laughed back as well continuing the patter that at least broke some of the gloom of being in a place such as this. "I must lack character then Lieutenant, because it just strikes me as a cold and uncomfortable place where we're best to leave as soon as is humanly possible! Starfleet really does send us to some rum destinations to fight this war don't they?"

"Come on now chief. I thought you of all people would appreciate a soldier has to make sacrifices in this war." Dax said, mockingly chastising him for his complaint. "Oh I do Lieutenant. I just wish we could make sacrifices on a planet like, say Risa for once!" Dax pulled a face at this and turned back to her console, checking the sensors and reporting her findings. "Coast is clear Chief. Have you got all the explosives and equipment prepped, because we're ready to go."

O'Brien reported that they had all that they needed stowed in their combat rucksacks and went to the stowing area to give Dax and himself their respective kit. Dax however was still scrutinizing the consoles despite having given the all clear, and it was clear from her expression that she'd picked up something unexpected and unwelcome at that.

"Chief, I don't believe it, there is a Romulan battle corvette landed on the surface about fifty four kilometres due west from the surface base. It looks like they are docked near the surface disrupter cannons around a small sensor monitoring post. I knew that Starfleet and the Romulan navy had co-ordinated attacks in this region, a gesture of solidarity and mutual cooperation toward our new allies. But I wasn't aware that they were here."

O'Brien was alarmed at this turn of events. They didn't need this sort of thing on a delicate operation. "Neither was I lieutenant. I think we had better contact Fleet captain Rodd. If we haven't been notified of Romulan activity on Zalod, then it looks like the Romulans have held back that they had forces deployed here."

Dax nodded in agreement and went to activate the com panel, as she was senior officer for the mission and it fell to her to contact the fleet captain who was coordinating attacks in this region, and to whom they would report to during this mission.

O'Brien was unsettled about the presence of a Romulan ship. Officially the Romulans were their allies and it was in theory at least, a friendly ship. However, O'Brein knew from past encounters that the Romulans weren't exactly known to be the galaxies most reliable or steadfast of allies. They may not take kindly to being caught with their pants down on some clandestine exercise on that world.

Dax was ready to open up comms and O'Brien could only hope that Captian Rodd knew more that they did about why that Romulan ship was there, and perhaps more importantly, what it was actually up to on Zalod.


	2. The Mission

**2. THE MISSION.**

**CAPTAIN** Tengera Rodd appeared on the monitor, she was a lithe and handsome Catullan women of middle age with a slender and athletic figure, the product of someone who had exercised a rigorous fitness regimen for many years to keep herself at the peak physical performance. There were two things striking about her image displayed on that monitor. The first was her striking pink hair that she had tied into a ponytail that was waist length, and the second was the imperious and rather put out looking Romulan commander who stood unsmiling at her side.

O'Brien thought that perhaps the captain did know about the Romulan ship, and that was why the Romulan guy was stood with her. Could he something to do with the ship. Captain Rodd spoke first, her voice was authoritative and effortlessly carried the air of command, a voice that many officers of her rank seemed to acquire. "Leutenant Dax, Chief O'Brien. Is everything prepared for your mission to the command post?" They both acknowledged Captain Rodds greeting and Dax said. "Yessir, everything is prepared and ready to go. However we have picked up on sensors that a Romulan ship is docked under sixty kilometers away from the outpost. We were not aware that any Romulan presence was to be located on the planet. They do realise we intend to blow up the base when we leave don't they? The ship is fairly close to the blast radius. Is the ships mission concurrent to that of our mission somehow?"

The Romulan commander bristled at this but said nothing, Captain Rodd spoke instead. "Yes the Romulan forces on the planet are aware of your intent to destroy the base, however my associate Commander Korvar, who is with me now assures me that their strike force is undertaking a totally independent mission to yours, and will have completed it well before you blast that base from the face of the planet. You are to continue as planned leutenant."

Dax was unsatisfied with the captains assurances. Detonating high yield tricobalt charges whilst other parties were hanging around was not something to be undertaken lightly, especially if those others were Romulan forces. Dax said "Sir, with all due respect, we are going to be plying that base with charges whilst an allied ship is undertaking a separate and uncoordinated mission nearby. To safeguard us all can we have some idea of what that ship is doing down there? Some sort of timetable of when they intend to carry it out and when they are to depart. So we can choreograph around it, to prevent them being caught up in it."

Korvar rolled his eyes at this and let out a sigh of exasperation at what he must have saw as Dax's impertinent questioning, and could remain silent no longer "Fleet Captain Rodd, is it Starfleet protocol for a subordinate to question every order she is given at all times, or is it just a Trillian idiosyncrasy? Please inform the lieutenant that we are fully aware of the risks, and that we have no desire to divulge our classified naval operations to some lieutenant and a petty officer with a tool kit."

The captain stared in Korvars direction and she had a look of contemptuous scorn in her eyes, she was clearly angry at how rude and condescending the Romulan had purposely been to the Starfleet officers, although she did not verbally take him to task for it.

"Fear not commander Korvar. Our officers are of the finest caliber, both professionally and morally. They would never interfere in fleet operations carried out by your forces. You need not worry yourself on that part."

Korvar said nothing at this, and Rodd addressed the pair once more. "Well I won't delay you any further with your mission. The Romulans are fully aware of your mission timetable and you have nothing to fear with proceeding as you originally planned. Do not think you have to alter the mission in any way, and put the ship out of your minds. I don't need to wish you success as you won't let us down. I am sure of that. As my ancestors used to say, let the Goddess of fortune accompany you all the way on the winding road. Captain Rodd out."

They both gave thanks for the captains kind acknowledgement, but Korvar wasn't finished yet. "Just before the two of you go. I know that Starfleeters have trouble abiding by their orders. But let me be clear - when you are on the suface of the planet, no unauthorised scans of our vessel. No wandering about near our ship or attempts to have a sneak peek at our operations. No attempts at communicating with our vessel or forces. You do the job you are supposed to do and we will do ours. If you respect the terms of our alliance you will honour my request, is that understood."

Rodd looked like she was about to chastise Korvar for his manner this time, but Dax decided she better step in. It wouldn't have looked great for Romulan – Federation relations if a fleet Captain had to dress down a Romulan officer for his attitude problem.

"We understand perfectly commander, we have no desire to abrogate the terms of an alliance we treasure with your people. We fully appreciate your desire for privacy, and please rest assure, that _is_ a cultural idiom Trills, as well as Terrans can appreciate wholeheartedly." Dax was pleased with her response, it was polite and professional, and she got a backhand dig in at the end which Korvar couldn't respond to, as an added bonus.

Rodd joined in now, supporting Dax's words. "Of course you will Lieutenant. Good luck to you and Chief O'Brien. I will see you again after you have completed the mission. Rodd out." and with that Captian Rodd and Mr. Personality disappeared from the now blank monitor.

O'Brien spoke for both of them. "What a thoroughly obnoxious tosser. Petty officer with a toolkit indeed! They are seriously in need some etiquette lessons for beginners, at the Romulan imperial war college." Dax nodded "The Romulan rank and file do tend to the abrasive don't they." "You can say that again Lieutenant. We best go, there's a storm front brewing near to the base, the sooner we start, the sooner we're away. Are you ready?"

Dax acknowledged that she was, and they stepped on the transporter pad. O'Brien tried to focus on the mission at hand, but he couldn't help but think about that Romulan ship, and the same question over and over - just what was that ship up to?


	3. Zalod

**3. ZALOD**

ZALOD wasn't much more enticing on the surface than it had been from orbit. It was a bleak and forbidding place to say the least, and the less said about the appalling weather the better. O'Brien drew his thermal coat closer in around himself, the biting cold seemed to have a way of penetrating deep into every extremity. His face was being lashed by torrents of sleet that were being carried horizontally due to the surface winds. O'Brien looked at Dax who was wincing at the conditions they found themselves in. It seemed Trills disliked this sort of climate just as heartily as humans did.

Dax began to speak, though she had to shout to be heard over the howling winds. "I think I'm with you on this planet. I'm cancelling my stay at the Zalod Hilton first thing when we get back." O'Brien chuckled "I don't know if they do refunds at short notice sir!" "Fine, they can keep it! I'm OK with that" she joked back.

They trudged their way towards the entrance of the base, their progress a little slower than either would have liked due to the inclement conditions. O'Brien surveyed the make up of the base, it was utilitarian to the point of outright ugliness, and was made up of barracks; sensor posts and antennae clusters. All the buildings and masts to one degree or the other, were daubed in the same weird swirly glyphs that were the Pya'Chl alphabet. The modular prefabs and bunkers scattered about didn't lend it to exude a homely feel, which O'Brien supposed was part of the whole point. The Pya'Chl certainly wouldn't be winning awards for the designs of their military outposts any time soon.

They eventually reached the large disruptor proofed entrance hatch and Dax whipped out her tricorder. "Just decrypting the entrance cipher Chief, looks clear of booby traps though." She stroked her chin absorbed in the data being fed to the tricorder and tapped something into it which caused lights to flash and a beep to emit from the tricorder. Dax smiled, as she had broken the code and went towards the hatch. O'Brien noticed how the path to the hatch was coated with snow, except... Dax was about to reach for the hatch, "Leutentant NO!" she heard as O'Brien lunged at her. She realised he was physically stopping her from proceeding forward to open the hatch.

O'Brien gave her the once over and said with urgency in his voice "The door is protected by a thermal shield! I realized that the snow on the ground ends where the field covers the door. It's melted away from that point. Bloody hell I should have noticed it sooner. You'd have been toast if you'd opened that hatch without me spotting it at the last minute. Watch this." He picked up a block of ice and threw it at the door, they both jumped as the snowball hissed and popped as it was caught in the thermal field, finally exploding and vapourising in a cloud of superheated steam after half a second of contact. Dax watched with horror as she realized that that snowball could well have been her own body if the Chief hadn't stooped her in the last few moments.

O'Brien said "The shield must only activate if the sensors detect an unauthorized physical presence at the hatch. They must have been able to disguise the field generator as just a regular power generator for the base, that's why we didn't notice it. If I can throw a rock into the field; something to set the field off, an object which can survive for a few seconds in there, then we can use our phasers to overload the field and burn it out. Those things use a lot of power." "Sounds like a plan Chief, lets use this large rock here. It should last at least just under a minute in that field anyway."

They took the rock and threw it at the door, where its mass became stranded in the field and wouldn't dislodge despite its best intentions. The field hissed and crackled as it began devouring the now incandescent rock, and Dax and O'Brien readied their phasers firing a wide beam at the field which caused it to begin to falter and flicker as the power was drained from it by the onslaught.

Just as the last of the rock was about to be finished off, the field went down and the smoking cinder caught within it was released from its grip, abruptly spat out and coming dangerously close to hitting them both, but they dodged away and the remnant settled in the snow behind them where it hissed away, boiling the surrounding ice it had become embedded in. They fired at the beam projector and deactivated it permanently, as it was blasted from its mount in a shower of sparks and molten metal.

They cautiously entered the base they had come to loot and destroy, and all around were scenes of a hasty retreat and the half hearted attempt to scuttle the outpost to prevent the enemy from helping themselves to everything. All but the largest computer terminals had been ripped out, and the shelves had been raided of as many data disks and chips as could be gathered in a short a time as possible. The racks and shelves were scattered and in many cases tipped over completely. It was obvious as to why, the retreating forces had so little time to vacate, they'd just stashed as much as they could get their hands on, as quickly and ungainly as they could.

O'Brien used his tricorder to obain a three dimensional schematic of the interior of the base so he could locate the optimal locations to place the tricobalt charges to demolish the base completely without it damaging the civilian settlement nearby. Dax for her part, went to work in accessing the files on the remaining computers.

O'Brien ripped open a panel on the wall opposite to where she was working and located an EPS conduit that lay within, a nice place to plant a charge designed to bring the building down. He heard Dax whispering to herself, she was mentally assessing what her tricorder readings were telling her. She said. "The Pya'Chl have placed a virus on their mainframe in an attempt to corrupt the remaining files on the system so they are ineligible to our systems. I suspect the virus they planted is such that they've left it open for them to reverse the damage to retrieve the information. Everything else they seem to have attempted to delete. I say attempted, as it's nigh on impossible to thoroughly delete something totally off a computer without physically destroying the CPU entirely. Something always remains; you'd need to vaporize the computer with a phaser to destroy it completely."

O'Brien who had his back turned to Dax looked round and said "You can retrieve some of the data can't you lieutenant? Damn shame we came all this way just to leave empty handed." Dax answered him "The deleted stuff shouldn't be too much of a problem, though it's probably the less sensitive and important data. The corrupted files will be tricky, however you are speaking to a symbiont that was hosted by none other than Tobin Dax, who; as luck would have it, came up with a really rather novel way of solving Fermets last theorem. Compared to that, obtaining these files should be a piece of cake."

O'Brien was impressed at hearing this, "You'll have to show me how he did it some time lieutenant. Solving Fermet's isn't exactly nailing the Times crossword after all."

O'Brien began a wide radius scan of the areas surrounding the base in order to assess the blast trajectory as accurately as possible. He included atmospheric and topographical conditions, as well as localised EM readings, and it was then he noticed something unusual. "Lieutenant this is odd. I'm not picking up any low level warp field readings from that Romulan ship. I've not done an invasive scan in order to deliberately spy on them, it's just a general survey. There are no readings at all. I don't think that ship has even been equipped with a warp drive."

Dax looked at him with confusion, in the briefing for the mission it was implicit that the allies had to do any mission on Zalod to a tight deadline. The Pya'Chl would return to their colony, and it was made clear that this sorties carried out here were limited to taking out military facilities, and immediately retreating before hostiles returned. Not at all involving any form of holding operation. The world Zalod did not warrant a permanent garrison of allied forces - there were bigger fish to fry after all, and by ally, that was Romulans included. Why then was the ship not prepared to make a retreat when the Pya'Chl returned.

"I don't understand why the Romulans would want to stay. Perhaps it's possible that the ship was deployed from a mother ship, and it will return to pick them up when they do whatever it is they're doing here."

O'Brien thought this a valid explanation, except for one thing. "If that is so, why does the ship not appear to have impulse engines either? The readings on the mass of the ship and internal volume do confirm the lack of both a warp and functioning impulse drive. I believe that ship is limited to maneuvering thrusters only. It'd have trouble reaching low orbit, let alone be able to retreat from Pya'Chl vessels. They'd be mincemeat, a total sitting duck with no means to escape."

Dax was stunned at this news, why would the Romulans leave their troops so ill prepared on this world. "Do you think they may have had to jettison them for some reason?" O'Brien shrugged, he was in the dark as to what the root cause of its missing propulsions systems might be.

Dax said "We can't really leave them here stranded chief, they wouldn't have a hope against a Pya'Chl retaliatory strikeforce. I think we should go check it out a little bit more."

O'Brien agreed, but was a little wary all the same. "I don't think Korvar would be pleased if we started snooping on his ship. But I agree, we have to discover why they are the way they are at the very least. They are our allies now after all."

Dax nodded "I don't think there's much in the universe that meets Korvar's approval Chief, he seems that sort. My decryption program will take at least an hour to be able to break into those files. We can use that time, and our ships transporter to beam to the Romulan ship, undertake a covert assessment. Let's go now."

They both stood up and Dax activated the transporter, and as O'Brien watched as the base dissipated in front of his eyes right there in that transporter beam, he asked himself once again, what was going on with that Romulan ship?


	4. The Reman Ship

**4. THE REMAN SHIP.**

**O'BRIEN** and Dax took cover from any onlookers that might be about, hiding their profiles behind a large boulder that rested on the rocky outcropping they had chosen as a vantage point to do some covert reconnaissance on their new Romulan neighbours.

O'Brien pierced through his electronic binoculars to take a good look at the emerald green; winged Romulan corvette from their elevated yet nicely concealed vantage point, its rich jade hue provided a stark, almost welcome contrast from the greys; whites and orangey pinks tones that seemed to make up the palette of the entire Zalodian panorama.

O'Brien took the measure of the ship that was precariously docked at the posts landing pad below, as it barely fit on the pad designed for Pya'Chl assault craft. The corvette loosely resembled a beefier version of the old Romulan birds of prey of Captain Kirks era, and this was yet another unusual surprise they'd found out about the vessel. It was a damned antique. "I'd say that's a C – type corvette if I'm not mistaken lieutenant. They're a relic from the days of the Tomed incident, all the way back in the twenty three tens. I'm astounded they still have some in service, let alone in an active front line role. The thing is quite literally a museum piece!"

Dax replied. "You're right Chief. I wouldn't want to find myself up against a Jem Hadar warship in a half century old battleship. I've not seen any ships personal since we've been here though, nor have I seen anyone working at any of those sensor posts or gun emplacements on the outpost itself. The plot just thickens every second doesn't it."

"Too right lieutenant, I wonder what the crew did to upset Korvar, to wind up in that relic?" Dax was about to answer when O'Brien heard a dull thud, which sounded horribly like a humanoid body being struck very hard, he turned round to see what it was, but the last thing he was really lucidly conscious of was the butt of an enormous disrupter rifle moving very quickly towards his field of vision. _"Damn these people snuck on us quick." _he thought about half a second before that same butt made a very physical contact with his face.

O'Briens vision was so blurred and obscured by the stars he was seeing, that he couldn't resolve anything but the vaguest of abstract smears, and a hazy sense that he had been knocked rather squarely on his ass. He felt as if the blood was draining away from his head, taking what remained of his conscious mind with it, and as his consciousness deserted him yet more, his vision went totally. For the first time he wasn't even troubled by the cold on the planet, and then; just like that, the world went blank..

..And was replaced by a dark room only illuminated by the dull glow of consoles, O'Brien realized he was lay down on a hard floor, but was still not with it enough to know where he was and what he was doing here. As his senses returned he thought he might be at Deep Space Nine, but his gradually increasing sense of lucidity told him he wasn't. Wrong temperature; wrong smells, wrong electric and mechanical noises. He weakly attempted moved his head to focus on the consoles and as soon as he did so, his head exploded with pain. It felt worse than it did the morning after he'd had that ill conceived drinking contest with Worf in his quarters.

After what seemed like half an eternity the pain subsided enough for his swollen eyes to make out the glyphs on the consoles _"Romulan consoles" _he thought, though the glyphs weren't the blocky Romulan ones he was familiar with. It was coming back now to him. Dax and he had been ambushed by the Romulans. They must have hit them both with their disruptor butts and knocked them out, taken them prisoner. _"Perhaps our erstwhile spy mission was a bad idea after all." _The room, which he had decided was the ships brig, was so gloomy that he could barely see at all, except from what little ambient light was given off from the console displays.

He called for Dax "Lieutenant Dax." His voice was quiet and hoarse, but it still sounded like a drill going off in his head. Romulan disruptor melee, it seemed; really, really hurt. "I'm here chief. Though I feel like an asteroid just crash landed on my face." said a weak voice from just behind him, Jadzias voice. A sound the chief was enormously glad to hear. "I think we've been taken prisoner by the Romulans Chief. I wonder what the treaty of alliance has to say about that?"

O'Brien didn't know much about the finer points of diplomacy and added glumly. "Beats me leutenant. The Romulans are suspicious and unpredictable sorts. They won't take kindly to Starfleet "spying" on them, ally or not."

A figure got up from a terminal on the other side of an arch that separated the pair from whoever he was. O'Brien suspected the arch was the security field, if they were indeed in the brig. O'Brien had only just noticed him when he came towards the arch; such was the low light levels in the brig.

The being came towards the arch and activated a glowing stun baton. He also deactivated the security field and shoved a tub into the brig which contained some unappetizing looking nutrition sticks and a canteen presumably filled with water. It was only when the being reactivated the field, and the glowing stun baton illuminated his face that O'Brien saw that the guard wasn't in fact a Romulan, but a large ferocious looking creature with translucent scaly grey skin; sharp yellowed teeth and yellowy green eyes, with the reflective retinas that you usually found on nocturnal predators. He looked like a cross between the Nosferatu, Hellboy and an Orc off Lord of the Rings. If a child would have seen him O'Brien thought, they would have ran away screaming. He looked absolutely terrifying, his visage made more sinister by the shadows cast on it from the light refected off it by the forcefield. Indeed O'Brien couldn't refrain from jumping and letting out a gasp at his captor's appearance.

The creature left without a word, without acknowledging them at all, and returned to his gloomy vigil. Dax whispered to the chief. "Did you see that Chief. That guard was Reman." O'Brien shrugged "How could I miss him."

O'Brien had heard of the Remans, but knew very little of them, and never expected to ever find himself face to face with them. The Remans were a mutated offshoot of the Romulans, who through a combination of selective breeding or genetic tampering and God knows what else, had been "adapted" to survive on Romulus's sister world of Remus. A harsh; tidally locked world with one side always facing the Romulan sun, and the other locked into a perpetual darkness. The Remans lived underground on the night side, just on the cusp of the terminator that seperated them from the eternal day of the sunlit side. A Remans lot in life was an unhappy one to put it mildly. They were an undesirable caste in the speciesist Romulan hierarchy, condemned from birth to be fit only to perform the role of ore mining slaves on the eternally dark caves of their heavy metal rich world.

They had been exiled so long and been so isolated from intermarraige with their "acceptable" brethren, that the pointy ears the Remans still wore, were the only real physiological clue of their joint Vulcanoid heratage with their Romulan oppressors.

O'Brien didn't think that the "untouchables" were ever allowed to leave Remus, let alone serve on a Romulan ship. "I don't understand lieutenant, why would Remans be on this ship? I thought they just did all the dirtiest and most degrading jobs that no-one else in the Romulan Empire would ever lower themseleves to undertake."

Dax replied "I have heard the Romulans do employ Reman forces during wartime. To fight the most dangerous and fiercest battles, so that Romulan troops don't bear the brunt of the casualties. Perhaps that is why Korvar didn't want us to have anything to do with this ship, as there are Remans aboard. Remans are considered outcasts after all, and entrenched racism dies hard. He may not feel it "appropriate" for an undesirable caste to be seen by outsiders. Or possibly he fears a Federation backlash over the treatment of chattel soldiers. I doubt the treatment of the Remans is something the Romulans want broadcasting to all the other allies."

O'Brien thought it was odd that the Romulans would put Remans in a position to get hold of military hardware and said "Isn't it risky on the Romulans part, you know to arm their slaves like that. Resentful slaves could be inclined to turn those weapons onto their oppressors in a bid for freedom"

Dax thought about this. "I suppose there is that risk for them, but perhaps the Romulans use coercion or some form of psychological conditioning to prevent that sort of thing from breaking out large scale. The Remans have been enslaved for a long time. They may have become so institutionalized and ground down by centuries of servitude that the concept of active rebellion may not occur instinctively, or at least not register on a widespread collective basis. Who knows, perhaps a relatively quick death on a battlefield is; on some level, preferable to a lifetime spent down a Reman mineshaft. For all we know the Remans may retain some of the Romulans martial sensibilities about death and glory through honour on the field of battle."

O'Brien thought they were all good theories on the lieutenant's part, but theories were really all they were. The Remans seemed so enigmatic and cloistered away from the rest of civilization. Perhaps nobody really knew what made them tick.

They both decided to focus on the matter of hand and try to get out of this holding cell. If they could at least get out of the cell, they could try to beam back to their transport, and Dax already had a plan as to how that was to be done.

"Chief" she whispered, do you still have a concealed magnesite flare in your jacket. The Remans haven't confiscated it like our weapons and tricorders have they."

O'Brien nodded, it was well concealed behind the button on the sleeve of his jacket and the Remans hadn't spotted it. O'Brien knew what he had to do and removed it, deploying it as he dropped it and it bounced along the floor of their cell with a metallic clattering noise.

It sputtered and seemingly stopped as if it had extinguished, but the Reman guard had heard it and came over to inspect the cigar shaped object on the floor, lowering the forcefield to do so. "And on the third day" O'Brien whispered upon which the flare lit up with a series of cracks and sparkles as it was let off right there in the guards hands, causing the startled alien to trip up as it flew around the holding area.

Dax and O'Brien bolted out of the opened brig and O'Brien raced towards the guard's console, whose normal operator followed him with surprising speed for such a large bulky creature. O'Brien switched the button he wanted and immediately the room blared into illumination as the main lighting panels came on to which O'Brien completed his quotation. "God said, let there be light!".

The Reman guard dropped to his knees in the brightly lit room and was clutching intently at his face to block the light from reaching his sensitive; dark adapted eyes. The sudden influx of light had temporarily flash blinded him as planned. They picked up the equipment, which fortunately included their com badges, that had been confiscated from them from the guards locker and ran out to the corridor checking that no more Remans lay in wait. Dax tapped her combadge to hail the transport to beam them out but it was in vain as the transmission was being jammed. O'Brien tried his as well but it was to no avail, the Remans must be blocking their signals.

Force fields came down on either side of them, emitted from the metallic arch frames on the bulkheads designed to corner and trap intruders in the corridors. They were well and truly routed, all escape seemingly impossible.

A lone Reman marched down the corridor toward them wearing some form of Reman sunshades protecting his eyes from the light. From the beings bearing and demeanor O'Brien guessed he was the leader of these Remans. Although O'Brien couldn't be sure he could read Reman facial expressions with any degree of accuracy, he didn't see any apparent hatred or malice at their fate, in the aliens eyes. He almost had a look of pensive curiosity about him. Though for all O'Brien knew, it could just be a sign he would kill them both when he managed to get his bare hands on them.

O'Brien had no doubt, if he was so inclined that the massive alien could tear them both from limb to limb with his bare hands, for the muscular Reman was two and a half meters tall, and must have weighed over three hundred pounds. The alien spoke "Starfleet intruders, it seems that your attempt to escape is over. You are to come with me now as you face your ultimate fate. As we all eventually; ultimately, must meet our own fates. Whether one does so sooner or later, that is the ultimate question."

Their philosophical waxing jailer stopped about two meters from them and just stared at them intently as if he was some sort of living statue, doing this for about half a minute. He then suddenly tapped the base of scepter he was holding on the deck plate, letting out a loud metallic clack, making the pair jump in unison at the noise. Whether he was doing it for dramatic effect or to attract attention, or was just trying to intimidate them, O'Brien was not sure. But if it was the latter, it was certainly working.


	5. general Jenvon

**5. GENERAL JENVON**

THE REMAN did an about turn maneuver, so that he now had his back to them. Although his back was still turned away from them, he addressed his captives "Follow me." and it was clear from his tone that this was not a request, it was an order.

Another Reman with the same kind of sunshades on was following behind them and he was armed. He was most likely a security guard who'd been summoned by the click of his commanders scepter.

They walked down the corridor till they reached a room that from O'Brien's mental sketching of the ships interior, must be somewhere off the bridge. The massive Reman leader summoned them in and the room was lighter than O'Brien and Dax thought it would have been, assuming this ship was crewed entirely by Remans. The leader and the guard kept their shades on and it appeared that they were willing to forgo their normal preferences in order to accommodate the pair better in this room.

The large Reman leader seemed unable to take his eyes off them; he seemed so utterly transfixed by the presence of two Starfleet officers. O'Brien was nervous to be sure, but for some unknown reason, he didn't feel that the Reman was an immediate threat to either of them. He couldn't articulate to himself precisely quite why, but all the same he just felt it in him some how. An unconscious intuition about the alien perhaps. _"Steady on Miles." _he thought to himself _"Perhaps that Reman gun to the face scrambled a few brain cells in the process." _

Their captor handed them a capsule each, and some water as well "For your head wounds" he said quietly.The Reman then squared himself up and said. "Prisoners from the Federation Starfleet, my name is General Jenvon commander of the IRN Gr'ver, I have placed you both under arrest on suspicion of committing espionage on Romulan naval property. Such crimes incur the most severe of penalties, though a swift confession and admission of guilt may award you some leniency as the Romulan overlords deem fit."

Jenvon's voice had a deep gravelly baritone about it, almost with a background growl and roar in how he spoke; though it was surprising how softly spoken and gentle his voice was in spite of the growling husk accompanying the sounds. O'Brien, whose headache was already clearing thanks to the Reman pills, noted there was a hint of irony in his voice when he mentioned "Romulan leniancy" as if it was a contradiction in terms, which O'Brien supposed it could be interpreted as, if you were a Reman slave doing all their dirty work for them, all your life.

Dax spoke and her voice was loaded with indignation at Jenvon's accusations. "General we were not spying on your vessel. Are you aware that the Romulan Star Empire and the Federation are allies? You can't just imprison allied soldiers like this. Even your navy has to follow the laws of due process."

Jenvon remained unfazed by Dax's anger and responded, voice neutral. "I am aware of the treaty of alliance signed by your Federation and the overlords. Though, I also know that past relations between our respective empires have been historically acrimonious. Old habits die hard after all. A surreptitious opportunity to spy on our hardware perhaps?" O'Brien snorted at this. "Look General Jenvon, I know your just doing your job, but we weren't spying on your ship, honest to God we weren't. We were looking out for an ally if you want to know. I mean look at the status of your ship sir. You don't seem equipped to be placed on the front lines of a warzone now, do you?"

Jenvon's face reacted to what O'Brien was saying, and it was a mixture of confusion over his status comments, and disbelief at the pretext that they were looking out for his crew. "What do you mean about the status of this ship human? This ship is fully operational according to the operational perimeters of our mission. I don't believe the sincerity of your story that you were trying to aid us, you spy instead."

Dax spoke again "General with due respect we were not spying on this ship, which lets face it; has seen better days. I can't speak for my colleague. But I for one wouldn't risk our alliance, and my own life for that matter, just to spy on this antique of a vessel. So with all due respect once more sir, we will not be making any confessions of espionage as we have nothing to confess."

O'Brien joined in, lending support to Dax "It's true General. We realized that your ship has no warp drive or impulse engines fitted. We were wondering how you were going to vacate this world when the Pya'Chl return to recapture it as they surely will." Jenvon frowned a deep frown that cast lengthy shadows on his furrowed face. "You just admitted you scanned our vessel and were caught observing us from a concealed area. That sounds like spying to me."

O'Brien held his hands up. "Even with this alliance it seems old misgivings about our governments continue. Hand on heart we weren't spying on you sir! We saw you have no warp drive, from a passive scan of the vicinity of the area we were conducting our own mission, and we wondered how you will escape from this planet when enemy forces arrive. We were proposing that we could evacuate you on our own vessel, as a gesture of good will between new allies. That is the God's honest truth. For heaven sake our own commanding officer doesn't know we attempted to make contact with you, as we were told not too. We've risked punishment within our own ranks for doing this, and now we may end up with a death sentence for something we haven't done. All we ever set out to do in coming here was to make sure you could get off this world with your skin intact. No good deed goes unpunished in this war does it?"

The pair saw how the general looked intrigued at these revelations. Although he was clearly eager to find out more, he was trying to mask his intrigue somewhat, with his cool interrogator spiel. A general it seemed had to keep up appearances. "If what you say is true human, we are in no need of assistance from Starfleet to carry out our mission. We don't require the additional mass of engines or warp drive to complete our task on this world. Our ship is fully functional, though informally I do offer my gratitude over your concern. If that is, what you say is to be taken at face value."

It was the prisoners turn to look surprised at the revelations being made now. Dax frowned at what she had been told, and a horrible realization had crept into her mind. "General, may I ask what your mission is here exactly, that you won't need recourse to escape an enemy planet?"

The Reman let out the merest hint of a sigh, and his shoulders stooped ever so slightly as to be on the threshold of perceptibility. "It is an internal affair Trill, it is not open for discussion, as it would be a violation of the Naval secrecy act, and, I assure you this, the overlords will not offer any leniency at all over such a breach."

O'Brien protested at this. "OK, I understand secrets have to be kept in a war sir. But the offer stands for you and your crew to come with us when we blast off. We have room for you all. How many are on this ship; two dozen or so?" Jenvon corrected him and said there was himself and twelve other Remans. O'Brien said "No-one has to be left behind on Zalod, with a ship with no drives on it. We can accommodate all thirteen of you.

Jenvon froze at this, he seemed stunned at their offer, as if he couldn't believe aliens were capable of any form of generosity whatsoever. Though to be fair to him, generosity was probably a scarce commodity in a Reman work camp. "You don't understand human, at least not the ways the overlords run the empire. One prays you never truly do. As for you request, it is... kind, but a Reman soldier does not resort to a dereliction of duty whatever the circumstances, and that is the matter closed. But aside from that, I myself have one question for you sir? Why did you feel you had to keep your "errand of mercy" a secret from your superior?"

Dax gave him his request and said "We were warned from making contact with you by her. Though I do think that Romulan commander Korvar was putting pressure on her, rather than it being a decision she alone made. He said we risked the entire alliance with your empire if we did make contact. I wish we'd listened now, it would have saved us the bother of a head wound, and execution for spying into the bargain."

The Reman gawped at them with a look of horrified astonishment, as if they'd confessed to stealing the reserves of the bank of Bolius and had suddenly admitted they'd stashed the loot in Jenvon's quarters into the bargain. His voice was tight with worry and he didn't seem bothered about hiding it. "You defied the wishes of the overlords? They specifically told you not to contact us?"

Dax nodded "If you mean by "overlords" the Romulans, yes we did. I'm of the school of thought that common compassion should override unthinking; hidebound obedience to dogmatic rules."

The Reman wasn't realy listening to her. He had his head up in the air in despair. O'Brien thought that he looked like he was beseeching his God for divine intervention over what he had heard. Defying the "overlords" was apparently not the done thing to do if you were Reman soldiers. He was filled with sadness and regret at this. Had they just unintentionally dropped the Remans in it in their attempts to help them?

Jenvon just kept repeating himself. "They defied the orders of the overseers. A tragedy for us all! They defied the overseers. How has this happened? How has this calamity burdened itself onto my shoulders?" Dax tried to placate him "The overseers don't know we are here General. We..."

Jenvon cut her off at this point. He seemed to have calmed down (slightly) and appeared to have a plan of action. "You must leave this ship. The espionage charges will be dropped as of now, as you are allies in the overlords fight with the Dominon forces. You must leave this ship and don't return. The overlords must not know of this as they will show us no mercy, not one of us, or you. We will bear the burden of your defiance in our own blood if they learn of what has transpired. Leave now! Forget about this ship and ourselves. Go now! GO!"

Jenvon had worked himself up to such a state up that he screamed the last of his order to them when he had finished. O'Brien tried to reason with him but it was pointless. "General. You can't just stay on this planet in this ship. You and your men will die here if you stay. We can transp..." Jenvon dismissed him again. "That would be merciful compared to the wrath of the overlords. You must go from here now! Prepare for transport to your last coordinates." and with this they were enveloped in the green quantum sparkle of a Romulan transporter beam, and a few seconds later the effect cleared and they were standing back in the Pya'Chl base. They both stood there in silence stunned at the way their encounter with the Remans had progressed. Dax realised that the decryption program had done its work and the download was beginning. Hower Dax like O'Brien had been left deeply disturbed by Jenvon's reaction to their breaking the rules, and she had trouble focusing on their original mission. O'Brien too was troubled, had their defiance of direct instructions unintentionally led innocent Reman troops to face reprisals off of their oppressors. He decided he had to find out one way or the other.


	6. Saving the Remans

**6. SAVING THE REMANS**

**DAX **was looking over the files that were being downloaded onto the bioneural gel storage pack they had brought with them. The data seemed to consist mostly of troop movements and orders given from military command to be diverted through the outpost. Some of the information was old hat - indeed she recognized some of the plans for missions that had already been carried out during the course of the war. She also knew a substantial amount of what data was left would be false orders and decoys, to throw the other side off balance should the information be captured.

What she did find interesting was that there were personal logs on there, on which high ranking Pya'Chl officers expressed resentment at the treatment they felt they were receiving from the Dominion, that they felt that they were compelled to committing their troops to be used as little more than cannon fodder, for little militaristic and material gain, and were not valued as allies. Dax brought this new insight up with O'Brien. "Chief, it seems that all is not well behind enemy lines. There's a lot of testimony here about how the Pya'Chl feel they are being shafted by their Dominion allies. This could be an interesting cat to throw amongst the enemy pigeons if it was somehow _"accidentally"_ leaked openly to everyone who wants to know."

O'Brien grunted at this. "Huh what's new there then. That the Dominion are lousy allies? Those Vorta strike me as the kind of people who'd charge their sainted mothers rent for staying over their place at Christmas".

Dax smiled weakly at O'Brien's quip, but like him her heart really wasn't in it, nor as things stood, was this mission to be honest. It was all being overshadowed by the "Reman incident." She decided to air her worries, it was creating an atmosphere and someone needed to articulate their concerns out loud. "I can't stop thinking about the Remans either chief. What do you make of his claim that they don't need a warp drive to carry out their mission."

O'Brien was keen to answer; glad that Dax had gone ahead and aired what had happened on that ship. "I think he seemed to be implying he's on a suicide mission. If he says he doesn't need engines or warp, he must seem to think they aren't going to leave that world after the mission is done. A ship of that size doesn't have the space to deploy a garrison of troops that could hold off a counter attack indefinitely. If they are to complete their mission without leaving, then they will swiftly be overrun and killed when the Pya'Chl return. But the question remains Leiutenant, why do such a crazy thing? It doean't make any strategic sense whatsoever?"

Dax said "The Romulans consider the Reman troops to be expendable, but traditionally they are usually sent as cannon fodder on the most fiercely fought front line areas, not somewhere like this place. Remeber what Jenvon said about you not understanding the "overlords" ways, and praying that you never do. I thought it was an odd turn of phrase and I think he was trying to say more than he actually said with it. It was like he was implying that he did know those ways, and had felt their wrath. I don't think he wants to die here, and what's more I think he feels that his mission is just that, a death sentence."

O'Brien thought that Dax's analysis was as spot on as ever. But he still wondered why they would go to such elaborate lengths to get rid of the general? They could have just executed him or sent him to do the most menial tasks on Remus, if he had earned their displeasure. Reman life didn't appear to count for much after all in the Romulus system so it seemed.

O'Brian suddenly came up with an idea, and it was a dangerous; possibly stupid one into the bargain. "Lieutenant, I don't feel comfortable with just leaving Jenvon to his fate, do you? I think we should try to make contact with him again." "How do we do that Chief. You saw how he was. We are the last people in the universe he'll be inviting over to his ship. He just won't speak to us period.".

"I've thought of that lieutenant and I think I know how we can overcome that obstacle. There is an active com link in this base and I think if I tinkered around with it I could alter the carrier wave frequency to an E-band one, just like the Romulans use for coded military transmissions - pass it off as that. We could contact Jenvon's ship with it. He'll have to respond to the hail. From what I've heard a Reman soldier wouldn't want to leave an overlord hanging on hold for too long."

O'Brien seemed quite pleased with his plan but Dax felt she had to point out the obvious flaw to it. "Yeah chief, he'll answer it, but when he realises it's a wrong number so to speak; he's just going to terminate the comm when he sees you smiling on his display and not some scowling Romulan flag officer."

"Well in that case, I'll just have to use my considerable Dublin charm on him then leutenant. Keep him on the comm long enough to get through to him!" O'Brien laughed.

The chief managed to work on the comm link and thought that the altered frequency he'd adjusted it to should do the trick nicely. Dax came over and they prepared to activate the comm, O'Brien hoped it wasn't all in vain, and with baited breath they sent the hail.

Jenvon's image appeared on screen, his head bowed down as not to make eye contact with whoever it was he thought was sending the signal. O'Brien thought that must be the way a Reman greeted one of their "betters". It also provided the unexpected advantage of stopping him from ending the transmission straight away, as he didn't realise who he had on screen yet as his field of vision was bowed down away from the monitor.

O'Brien said "General Jenvon, I know what you said earlier sir, but we can't just leave you on that ship and forget about the whole matter."

Jenvon suddenly looked up as he realised that he wasn't being addressed by a Romulan, but by his two former captives, "What are you doing? Terminate this transmission at once. I told..." he spluttered, barely forcing the words out with any degree of coherence. "I know what you said General Jenvon. But despite your rank we aren't going to follow you orders this time. We can't just leave you and your crew here to die sir. Because exile to this world in a ship with no means of escaping, is just that, a death sentence for all of you."

Jenvon closed his eyes and was about to terminate the link himself, his large hand with the sharp clawed fingernails rested centimetres above the large button especially designed for Reman use. However he was halting in his mannerisms, as if he seemed on the cusp of being not quite ready to just end it there. "I do not see why you make such haste in defying the orders of your superiors. Were you not told to not make contact with this ship? Yet here you are once again, defying those orders in communicating with us. I fear you may regret being so brazen as to displease the overlords in such a way. As we all may live to regret such abandonment of the given hierarchy."

O'Brien couldn't believe this guy could say such a thing under the circumstances. "With all due respect General, if you stay here when those Pya'Chl troops come storming in all guns blazing to avenge the destruction of their military bases, the displeasure of you so-called overlords will be the least of your worries. I must emphasize sir, you and your men will die here if you stay. Not one of you will leave this planet alive. Or even worse still, you face capture and a slow public execution as enemy soldiers, paraded in front of the jeering civilian colonists. The Pya'Chl are known to indulge in that particular form of public spectacle during war time. Their leaders think it boosts the public morale or something like that."

Jenvon's face winced with distaste at that prospect. Romulan culture placed emphasis on a "good death" in combat and it likely stood to reason that this cultural affinity may percolate down to Reman military traditions as well. Leaving aside even the prospect of such an end was a horrible one to contemplate.

Dax spoke now "General, forgive me for my bluntness, but am I right in thinking that the Romulans have sent you on what is essentially a one way mission. That this is not a mission you are expected to return from."

Jenvon suddenly stiffened, a sign that no longer wanted to continue with this clandestine attempt to speak to him, and Dax gave herself a mental ticking off for it, she had pushed him too far too early, and probed too much. He was all but sure to terminate the transmission right there. Dax was correct and that huge hand went to end the transmission but O'Brien made one last attempt to salvage the negotiations.

"I have a plan to help you and your crew escape, without earning the wrath of your overlords, and without you and your men dying a senseless death on a planet that isn't worth the life of one allied soldier. We obviously can't just turn up with you all in tow and hand you back to the Romulans. You'll face a firing squad or a trip back to the dilithium mines with added overtime for good measure, we understand that. But if lieutenant Dax and myself contact our fleet captain, we can vouch for you and your men. Propose to her an offer of sanctuary within the protection of the Federation for you all. Ally or not, we can't sit by and just let the Romulans treat their troops like this. We can save you and your men if you will let us just help you."

Jenvon sighed loudly. "Do not think me ungrateful human, but really you do not understand our ways. I am heartened that you would concern yourselves with us. But please do not risk the wrath of the overlords in this manner. If they discovered that you were siding with us like this it could jeopardise the alliance you have with them. They do not take kindly to such meddling in their affairs. No sir, we stay here to complete our mission. It is what is required of us, no more and no less. Fate will attend to us all"

O'Brien really had the urge to throw something across the room in frustration at what he was hearing. How could anyone let these people die so senselessly here? Even more frustratingly was how could the single biggest obstacle to preventing such pointless carnage be the man who was leading those who were to be killed in such a way? "My God general, you can't just want to die, all for nothing. What about the men who serve under you general? Don't they deserve a chance to live, to fight another day?"

Jenvon couldn't meet the intensity of O'Briens stare, and deliberately avoided eye contact. He seemed almost doubled up in sorrow and regret. It was blatantly obvious he didn't want to die on this volehole. Who would after all? He had been sent to his death and seemed so broken by a life of hardship and prejudice; he just wasn't able to break the cycle, even to preserve his men. O'Brien had never thought he would see a man who had attained a rank like general, be so defeatist and as crushed in spirit as this guy seemed to be.

Jenvon spoke but it was hard to hear him, a combination of his voice being so deep, and that he was speaking at almost a whisper. "What I or my crew want is largely immaterial, as so often is the way for my Reman brothers. Do you know anything of our ways Mr..." "O'Brien" he said, filling in for the General. O'Brien and Dax shook their heads, like pretty much everyone else they knew next to nothing about these most closeted of people.

"My people have a belief in the afterlife, or Enta' Lhia as we know it Mr. O'Brien. Our beliefs are, by other cultures standards; not as well established, or bound by written or canonical creed. The overlords have never liked to promote Reman traditions, but the threads of our heritage do get passed down largely through the old songs of the clans, and stories from one generation to the next. Our afterlife is a joyous place where no Reman is oppressed, his back free of the welts caused by an overlords lash, a place where hardship and pain have no place, and all labour is that of love, not of backbreaking coercion and unending toil and drudgery. You see, the waking life of a Reman is an unenviable one; more a sentence to be endured, than an existence to treasure. Enta' Lhia at least offers the hope that the suffering that our mortal existence brings is at least ephemeral. Our belief is that the accumulated hardship and pain borne from ones mortal existence can be "rewarded" by the fruits of endless pleasure offered up in the eternal afterlife. That ones mortal existence of suffering is merely the necessary price one has to pay for the rewards of such a resting place. Indeed, we believe that the greater ones hardship in this world, the greater ones rewards in Enta'Lhia can be. It is called the philosophy of Lhia'tu. It is one of the few Reman cultural and religious tenets the overlords officially permit to be taught and practiced."

Dax thought aloud at this, but didn't air what she was thinking to Jenvon, lest she antagonise him once more. _"I bet they do. How to make more effective slaves. Suffer more down our mines in this life, and reap greater rewards in the next one, where they don't have mining quotas to fulfil. I bet they aren't so keen on promoting the more assertive Reman beliefs." _

It was O'Briens turn now to question the fiuner points of Reman theology. "So you're saying that dying on this planet is a preferable fate for you and your men, than going on living a miserable existence as a Reman? That by dying here you'll get a fast pass to Enta'Lhia, and eternal happiness for all of you. Do you genuinely believe that this will happen general?"

Jenvon answered but was faltering with the eye contact with Chief O'Brien again, clearly not liking where the conversation was going, having to assess his peoples cherished beliefs like this. "Mr. O'Brien, what I believe is immaterial, I am a Reman mortal after all. My men and I are destined to end our material existence here. Our beliefs at least give my men hope that the misery we endure in this life possibly meant something; not the cruel hand of being damned by a pariahs birthright, and that better things await for them. Who are you or I to deprive them of that, and how can anyone really know what awaits for us after death? It is ironic really, the whole reason we were sent here was down to a matter of creed. The overlords have their beliefs too. They are a violent and passionate people who seek the glory and challenges combat brings. They too think their deaths have meaning in such endeavors, and glories on the battlefield can reflect on the soul as they too prepare to meet the afterlife. The overseers felt that as we die here, the victims of a pointless battle to the death, our sacrifices all for nought, that we will be damned eternally in accordance with the core creeds of their beliefs. How twisted that in alienating us from their beliefs, they ended up inadvertently aiding us with our belief system. Then again the overlords rarely bothered to trouble themselves with our ways except to scorn them. Perhaps such an oversight is to be expected"

"_My God." _thought O'Brien. _"What have these people done to the Romulans to earn such a wicked punishment? Has Jenvon been caught in bed with the Praetors wife or something?" _

Dax adressed the general and said. "General, what have you done to earn the displeasure of the overlords? How did you end up to be exiled here?" Jenvon sighed with irritation, not happy with being subject to the third degree like this. Dax even thought that he may even be having second thoughts about just laying down to die like he was expected to do. The inner turmoil he was under was running through his mind about the fate he'd been sent to, and these troublesome thoughts were not a welcome distraction for him. One had to silence them fully to be able to go ahead and carry out the death sentence he'd be executing on his men and himself.

"You don't understand our ways, and you never will." he said once more. It was the stock excuse he seemed to give to duck out of answering his questioners "Believe me lieutenant it is better for all of us if we carry out our mission. A quick death on Zalod is immensely preferable to the privations of a lifetime in a mine on Remus I can assure you of that, we all can. I appreciate your concern and kind words, and you do you Federation credit. But please no more distractions, you need not concern yourself with our welfare. Until we meet once more in Enta'Lhia, General Jenvon signing out." and then he was gone.

"Better for all of us my arse!" said O'Brien angrily, furious at the callousness of the Romulans to these poor people. "If we leave Jenvon to his fate, we'd be as good as accessory to his murder! We have to speak to Captain Rodd, get her to intervene for Jenvon and his mens lives, as Jenvon won't do it for himself."

Dax nodded in agreement with O'Briens sentiment. "She could put the pressure on commander Korvar. If anything the Romulans need joint operations with the rest of the allied fleets even more than we do. They lost a lot of ships defending the Glintaris sector from the Dominion. The Romulans need to stay on our good side, so they might be prepared to make an exception for Jenvon, in order to keep in our good books. We should both speak to Captain Rodd, we'll have more chance twisting her arm that way. Anyhow a court martial for disobeying orders is an experience best shared in my seven lifetimes of opinion." O'Brien laughed at Daxes half joking remarks. "When did you become so pessimistic about our circumstances lieutenant? You're starting to make Jenvon sound like Pollyanna by comparison."

Dax just smiled at this and uncharacteristically didn't take the Chief on. She was too composed in mentally scripting just exactly how she was going to word the news to the captain about why they had contacted the Remans despite the explicit instructions of a major ally not to do so. They prepared to activate the comm once more and prepare for the fallout that awaited them.


	7. Confession

**7. CONFESSION**

"**LEUITENANT **Dax is everything alright with your mission? No unforeseen problems or delays to report." Captain Rodd looked concerned that they had made contact, which was understandable as she hadn't expected them to do so. Unexpected messages mid mission were almost inevitably harbingers of bad news, in the experience of a CO.

"Yes captain the mission is fine, we've just about wrapped up retrieving all the salvageable information we can wring out of the bases surviving computer mainframes and we're prepared to blast the outpost off the face of the planet."

The captain nodded "Good, get off that world as soon as you can. The Pya'Chl are going to go nuclear when they realise what you've done to their military base. I wouldn't want to face their wrath, and neither would you lieutenant. But the question remains, if the mission is still good to go, why you are using precious time to contact me."

Dax got straight to it; best spill the beans right away. "It's interesting you mention forces on Zalod facing the wrath of the Pya'Chl sir. For our part, we'll be long gone by the time they arrive. Others however, will not be so fortunate."

Rodd looked both confused and disturbed at the same time. She didn't know what they were on about, and more importantly, she didn't want this sort of unexpected situation to unravel the entire mission completely. "What are you talking about Dax? Are there others stranded on that world." "Yes captain, thirteen Remans on that Romulan ship. The ship has no capacity to escape, and we have ample evidence that the Romulans have intentionally stranded the crew there as some form of punishment."

The captain stiffened at what she had heard; suddenly taking it all in. That the two of them had disobeyed orders, and that their new allies were employing hugely immoral battlefield tactics which could cause a potential rift. "You made contact with that ship, and spoke with the crew of the vessel, as you were explicitly instructed not to do so by one of our major war allies?"

O'Brien jumped in, sticking up for Dax. There was no way in hell he was going to let her single handedly carry the can for disobeying orders. He was if anything, the one who was more complicit in them making contact. "Captain, it was my fault we disobeyed orders sir. We discovered from passive scans, nothing invasive - that the ship had no warp drive, or impulse engines. We attempted covert reccy on the ship to see why this was, again my idea. However we were apprehended in the process and the Reman commander, General Jenvon took us prisoner, but released us when we told him the Romulans didn't know that we had made contact. The Remans seem very afraid of upsetting them, which is understandable. He's been sent there to die, along with his entire crew by the Romulans. It's a sort of Reman Karma apparently, dying in a senseless battle to protect such a miserable place. A Romulan warriors code of honour sir, that sort of thing."

Rodd was still taking in what they had said, though she was clearly furious at the pair of them for disobeying orders so brazenly as she saw it, like they had. "It is a little late to try to save your superiors skin Mr O'Brien, so don't even try. As far as I am concerned you both consciously disobeyed orders and I have little interest in who goaded who on to break them. I thought humans had a saying Mr O'Brien, about curiosity killing the rat. What applies to one lifeform can apply to others. Your "adventures" could create a lot of trouble between us and the Romulans. They are the sort of people to cut off their nose just to spite their face. Overreact in proportion to the injustice they feel they have had been dealt. They may well threaten to abrogate the treaty of alliance over this incident. I don't need to tell you that it isn't going to go down well with Commander Korvar when he discovers you've been fraternizing with the slave castes, although I am surprised that the Reman volunteered so much information about their plight. It's very un-Romulan empire of him."

Dax decided upon two things at this moment, the first was that it was time to admit that they hadn't just restricted themselves to one contact with Jenvon, and the other was that it was probably not the best time to point out that Rodd should perhaps brush up on Terran mammals. "He didn't volunteer information easily sir. He kicked us off the ship without scarcely even a word after we mentioned the Romulans. It was only through further contact we learned that he'd been exiled, although he wouldn't tell us why. My own theory is that he is subject to some kind of Romulan court martial by death sentence. I believe according to the Starfleet code of conduct, and following basic sentient morality, that we should intercede on his and his crews behalf.

The fleet captain closed her eyes and rubbed her head ridges as if they had suddenly become afflicted by chronic itchiness, at the was not the sort of news she wanted to hear about the mission.

Rodds voice was as pained with the extent of the trouble they'd landed her in, as her body language was. She said "Not only did you disobey orders once, you did so again by initiating another off the cuff contact yourselves. Our entire alliance could be put in jeopardy over exiles who may well have committed criminal acts against the empire. Let us remind ourselves we don't actually know why the Remans have been stranded there, or what the supposed transgressions they committed, if they even did - might actually be.

O'Brien said "Sir, General Jenvon, the Reman commander – didn't strike me as a criminal. He had a decency about him. There was such regret in his eyes sir, a sorrow at having to let his men meet their end on such a rock. If you'd been there you'd know what I mean. He reminded me of an innocent man condemned to die for a crime he never committed in the first place."

Rodd sighed loudly at this and O'Brien knew it was because she thought that the chief was just blinkered by his own naïveté, into poor and subjective judgment. "Well Mr. O'Brien, I'm sure people said the same about the Boston Strangler before he was found out. I don't think we can justify damaging relations on the pretext of "Mr. O'Brien just thinks he's a nice man and should get a free pass", either with Starfleet or the Romulans.

O'Brien was incensed at what the captain was saying, she didn't seem to want to know about the Remans plight, and it was insulting to him that she dissmissed him as such a poor judge of character. It was simply a truism that you could determine that someone was a wronged victim of a corrupt form of justice. He'd seen it with Tosk who had visited DS9 shortly after he was assigned there. Who far from being a fugitive as some had thought, was only trying to evade the alien hunters who were sent from the Gamma quadrant to drag him home in irons. As Odo who had admitted to him that he had seen it in himself, when he'd been hauled before that Cardassian kangaroo court all those years ago. You could just tell these cases from the bad apples, and if someone as pessimistic of the sentient condition as Odo could see that then it was more than naïve intuition.

Dax tried to make the Remans case as well. "Captain, Jenvon may have committed crimes against the empire, though I am as sure as the chief that he probaly hasn't committed a "crime" as we would understand the term. Although we can't know for sure if he has, and exactly why he was exiled, the situation still remains the same. Thirteen people are being left to die for no reason in a battle that doesn't need to occur to impact at all on the greater scheme of this war. It surely cannot be acceptable that we leave those soldiers to die on Zalod. Let's leave aside one moment the fact that the Romulans treatment of the Remans is morally repugnant in of itself. This is possibly the time to get our ally to clean their act up in how they treat their Reman troops, and by extension the population of Remus, if they wish to have our assistance in fighting this war."

"If we do upset the Romulans and they walk away fracturing the alliance, we may all be joining them in the Reman mines, and I doubt that conditions will improve under Jem Hadar guards either. These are the stakes in this war, I remind you of that lieutenant. I wouldn't be too hasty in alienating our allies like this if we seek to win." said Rodd sarcastically.

Rodd thought for a while and with some of the earlier sarcasm in her voice diminished, said. "I know you two think I'm being heartless, but I do have to take the practicalities of fighting this war into account, and the greater potential consequences of upsetting an ally like this.

However, as you both pointed out, the moral and ethical objections of the new developments must be observed, and the Romulans behavior towards those troops is unquestionably reprehensible. But we are not without leverage ourselves in dealing with the Romulans, and it isn't all just one way as you also said. However, I must warn you that any diplomatic fall out with them over the affair may reflect badly on your future careers, and you may have to suffer the consequences of disobeying orders.

We will proceed as follows, I will hear the general's request for political asylum for him and his men and we will advise Korvar of his request, and how we will attempt to process the Remans application . I'm sure he'll hit the roof when we tell him, but hopefully; especially for your sakes – we will be able to iron out any major bust ups that occur, pitching it to the Romulans on the context of focusing on winning the war and not letting our own squabbles over a dozen Remans diminish our joint efforts."

Rodd was looking at them with an intense curiosity, she'd picked up on their expressions and smelled a rat, or was it a cat even? She voiced her suspicions and said "He has claimed asylum hasn't he?", and with that O'Brien knew she knew the answer to her awkward last question. "Er. Not technically sir. We're working on that part. I'm sure he will do when we explain how Federal rule of law works." answered O'Brien sheepishly, but Rodd was having none of it. "It's a simple question chief, has he asked for asylum? Yes or No." O'Brien said quietly "No sir." he hanged his head, suspecting he'd just signed Jenvon's death warrant right there with his words.

Surprisingly Rodd looked sad at this as well, she knew that they wouldn't have a leg to stand on with their "allies" if he hadn't asked to be "rescued" "That makes things very difficult. I can't see how we pass it off to the Romulans without that request. I'll see what I can do, but I can't promise anything. Continue with your mission and update me accordingly, Rodd out." and with that she ended the comm.

The two of them stood in silence. That the laws of due process could be a real pain in the backside at times, was putting it mildly. O'Brien was the first to vent his frustrations "I didn't realise that Starfleets latest primary objective of this war was to avoid all attempts to offend the bloody Romulans! It stinks leuitenant, Jenvon's going to die on the altar of keeping his oppressors happy. It's a disgusting state of affairs."

Dax for her part, had the nucleus of an idea "I'm thinking what you said to captain Rodd Chief. Jenvon just needs to find out about that he can put in a request for asylum. I've got a plan Mr. O'Brien; it's time to give the general a crash course on the finer points of Federation law"

O'Brien agreed with what Dax was proposing. Although Jenvon would have to take this lesson to heart, as if his life depended on it. Because, for him and his crew; it really did.


	8. A Remans Lot

**8. A REMANS LOT.**

**O'BRIAN **cautiously approached the Reman ship by himself, he was unarmed and on his own, in the hopes of not appearing to be threatening to Jenvon and his men. An attempt at an open handed gesture of good will to their Reman neighbours so to speak.

O'Brien was nervous at his latest stunt and hoped it would work. The Remans remained enigmatic and had the potential for all he knew to be dangerously unpredictable. The Neutral Zone had been up for over two hundred years, and old suspicions rarely died easily. God knows what lies about the depravity of humans and the Federation the Romulans might have fed them over the centuries. O'Brien was under no illusions as to the potential danger he was putting himself in doing this, deliberately making his presence known to a Reman corvette.

He summoned all of his authority and began to speak loudly in the direction of the Reman vessel, subconsciously placing himself to be seen by an observer from the bridge, which was a bit daft when he thought about it really, as the ships external cameras could probably clearly film him from many angles, if an observer was inclined to do so. It must just have been force of habit he thought, built up from many years serving on starships.

"Jenvon hear me out! We have spoken to our superiors and I have a plan to help not only you, but your entire race as well. Hear me out on this I implore you to." O'Brien waited about a minute or so, but nothing happened. The ship and it's crew didn't seem to have reacted to his presence at all, which was a mixed blessing. He was sure one of the ships disrupter cannons would have vaporized him to a puff of steam in a thousandth of a second if they'd fired them at him.

"General, please! You don't have to die here on this world. come with us and you can save many more of your people. We can help you with your overseers, but you have to work with us."

O'Brien was starting to feel that all this pleading was a futile effort. Perhaps Jenvon did just have a death wish that was too ingrained in him after all. O'Brien suddenly felt static on his skin and realised that he was being transported, it was a Romulan transporter. Perhaps he had gotten through to the general after all! O'Brien realised he was in the same room that he and Dax had first met with Jenvon, however this time the lighting was dark and accustomed towards Reman preferences. He struggled to see in the gloom, but the holographic displays which had Reman style recreations of the surface of Zalod and the combat theatres in this sector provided some illumination from the darkness that enveloped the room. Jenvon stared intently at O'Brien; his face was so solemn and fixed, his tough grey statuette like skin actually looked like it might well have been carved from stone.

Finally breaking from his motionless poise, he said. "At first Chief O'Brien I thought you were afflicted by some sort of madness. So obsessively insistent were your attempts to stop my soldiers and myself from carrying out our mission. But now I realise you are not ill of mind, you just cannot cross the vast gulf of cultural difference between our two cultures. I would hate you to incur the wrath of your own superiors through your cultural ignorance. Please do not interfere any more with our mission."

O'Brien was having none of this "I may know next to nothing of the ways of Remus, you're quite right about that, and I might never be able to fully bridge that cultural gulf you mentioned. But what I do know is, that if anyone chooses to stay here to die, then that _is _madness. I don't care what culture you're from, it's senseless slaughter and anyone should be able to see that."

Jenvon sighed. "Perhaps, but let me put to you one question. Why would anyone on my world volunteer for front line military service? The attrition rate for Reman shock troopers is two thirds, you are a very lucky Reman indeed to survive several tours of duty and live to tell the tale. You get basic rations, primitive medical care. You are expected to lay down your life to preserve that of overlord battalions. Be the first troops in and the last to leave, presuming you are even allowed to leave alive. Sent to the coldest; the bloodiest and the nastiest parts of the galaxy to fight the battles the overlords would rather avoid. Surely anyone applying the values and norms from the context of your own culture that is – would be by default – insane to even consider partaking in such a role. Yet for me and my men it was considered a release; an escape, or even a privilege to be selected for military service, and that is why you can't understand why we stay. You may pretend you do, but you can't know, not unless you lived the life of a slave in a Reman mine. If you did you would realise why my people hold on to the mysticism of Enta'Lhia as they do. Why to die here at the very least, saves you from a slow death on Remus."

O'Brien took all this in, being a Reman soldier sounded more a horrific death sentence than anything else. How terrible were things for the Reman labourers?

O'Brien felt cold inside when he thought that millions of wretched slaves who were being worked to death on that hellhole as they spoke. Where conditions were so bad, that being a meat shield for the Romulans was considered worthwhile career advancement.

O'Brein said "Jesus Jenvon, I knew your people had it bad, but not that bad. My God, what is life like on your world, for you to consider it a release to sign up for this?"

Jenvon had a look in his eyes that was so haunted and twisted by the grief and pain of a million resurfacing memories so painful they had to be at least partially repressed some of the time for one to function with any semblance of normality, that O'Brien instinctively wanted to look away, so unsettled was he by what those eyes must have seen, what no sentient being should ever have been witness to.

Jenvon began to speak very slowly, his voice terse with the echoes of the pain and suffering that had plagued his and his fellow Remans lives, and he quietly began narrating the harrowing details of his life on Remus. "I was born in the Reman darkness Chief and I never expected to ever leave the mines of my world, very few of my people ever do, I was condemned by the birthright of my caste to live, no endure a sentence on my world, facing nothing but a life of hardship and brutality until the mercies of the Lhi'atu transition saw fit to excise my soul from such a damned place.

Life was cruel in those mines; we were beaten and worked ever harder for the most minor of transgressions. Whatever we did, and however hard we worked, and did we work, the overlords would always find a way to punish us further and deeper. It was almost a ritual form of abuse for them, as if we collectively as a race deserved our bondage and punishment, for allowing ourselves to fall into the hardship and subservience we found ourselves in, in the first place."

The chief listened intently to this; it seemed the Romulans behaved like oppressors the galaxy over. Blaming their victims for the suffering _they_ themselves inflicted upon them. Major Kira had said the Cardassians had behaved in a similar way during the occupation.

"Almost as soon as I was old enough to walk I was assigned to mining duty, our small child's bodies able to get into the narrowest of mining tunnels and under machinery. I always had my wits about me even at a young age, and a good thing too - mining accidents and the machines carried so many of our young to premature Enta L'hia. 

It was relentless and back breaking work, eighteen to twenty hours a day in endless toil and dreadful conditions. I saw so many just fall where they laboured, literally dropping dead from exhaustion and suffering. The overlords never cared about the deaths, there were always plenty more where they came from.

It was like that for all of us. We were nothing to our masters, valueless to the last Reman. We were nothing but a resource, like the ore that was mined on our broken backs. My father mined a borite seem for most of his later life, but he wasn't allowed to wear breathing protection. It was the dust from the ore that killed him. We had to watch as he was forced to work even though his lungs were ravaged, the overlords wouldn't waste medecine that could have cured the affliction. Why would they devote resources to a mere slave? The fluid he used to cough up eventually turned to blood, and I watched him waste away right there in front of my eyes, to nothing but a shriveled living skeleton in his final days, but still they made him work. I used to help him have with his brief rest periods between his work shifts, how his skin was like shriveled parchment and how I could feel his bones under that sallow skin. He always seemed such a giant when I was a child, but he seemed so small and decrepit when he left us. He weighed no more than fifty kilo's on death. On the day he went, I could scarcely believe that the haggard corpse that lay dead in our tenement was that of my own father. My mother was never allowed to grieve for her mate, not when there was ore to be mined. she'd already lost two unborn from mining and overwork. Now she had lost her spouse too."

Chief O'Brien was horrified at what Jenvon was telling him. How could a so called "civilisation" allow such cruelty go on so systematyically? He said to Jenvon, his voice conveying his disbelief asnd shock at all this. "They force pregnant women to work down the mines?"

"Yes, the overlords apparently felt that it aided in the toughening up of the Reman genome. Only the hardiest Reman newborns from the hardiest mothers would survive to term, to make better and more durable slaves. Whether it was true or not, I can't say for certain. But I watched as my mother was broken by the grief of her dead babies and her husband. Her mind was destroyed by overwork and the torment of the losses she had endured. I fear her soul had died many years before her body finally joined her, I hope perhaps restoring her whole, to peace in Enta'L'hia, reunited once more with her loved ones, and the children she never knew."

Jenvon made a strange gesture with his hand and closed his eyes; tilting his head back, perhaps a Reman prayer to his departed parents O'Brien thought.

Jenvon smiled very mournfully, it was an intensely sad smile, at whatever memory had come to him and spoke softly "Then there was Da'lesh, young Da'lesh. She was my closest childhood friend. The brief times I had with her were perhaps the only real happy memories I have from my life. Small childhood pranks when the overlords weren't looking, jokes and singing even. She was so graceful and her eyes so full of that childhood life and mischief like I had never seen in any other Reman then or now. Perhaps the overlords saw it in her as well, and why that most terrible of days came."

O'Brien watched silently as Jen'von began to hunch up with sorrow that he almost seemed to physically diminish before his eyes. Whatever had happened to his young friend must have been an absolutely heartbreaking memory to have engendered that kind of reaction in him. "One of the overlord guards was known for his appetite for liquor, and postings on Remus were not always clement for the overlords as well. He must have been finding it hard acclimatizing to Remus, and a combination of liquor fuelled resentment were not a pleasant one for any Reman who was at the mercy of an overlord who posessed both.

The overlord had chanced upon Da'lesh who was working down an auxiliary mining tunnel, and snatched her ore shovel from her hands, shoving her to the ground in the process. Perhaps seeing this little urchin with that spark in her eyes infuriated him, or perhaps the overlord just saw an easy target to victimise, because he swung the shovel and without provocation hit her on the back causing her to fall back over in a daze as she attempted to get on her feet. She knew better than to cry out as it showed weakness, and nothing angered an overlord more than weakness, and instead asked for her implement back, the overlord appeared to pause for a moment to consider the request and without warning…."

Jenvon cut himself off from speaking, so overcome by the memory of this awful incident was he, but he continued on as he retold this appaling tale of child abuse to a horrified O'Brien, gesturing he was composed enough to finish it.

"… Without warning, he swung the shovel once more, hitting her so savagely on the back of her tiny head, that she lay down, lying in a pool of her own blood from the head wound, motionless. Da'lesh would never again get up, the spark and energy in her eyes was extinguished from mortal existence forever, as her precious soul was taken from us where she lay. Perhaps the one beacon of light and hope that I had ever encountered in my life, was so cruelly snuffed out by a drunken overlord who laughed as he walked away discarding her precious little body to lie there in the dirt and darkness of a Reman mine. She was so tiny and fragile chief, so full of potential. Her short life just ripped away from her like that. Gone for ever.

From that day I saw there was only suffering and cruelty in this mortal life, at least for a Reman. How could one find meaning or fulfillment in a life like the one I had?

Don't think my story is an exception either. Every Reman would have similar tales of cruelty and hardship to tell. I think how we meet death has become more important to Remans than what life holds for us. When there is no apparent hope in life, what else do we have to hold on too? Even meeting death on Zalod of all places. That is why we signed up for active service Chief, why we do it despite the dangers. Perhaps in the manner of our death, we do have some small glimmer of hope after all."

O'Brien felt overcome with emotion at Jenvons life history. The poor sod had been through seven shades of hell for as far as O'Brien could see, purely on the basis of being born a Reman.

Although he may have felt a little churlish in bringing up his asylum proposal when Jenvon had opened up and bared his soul about his feelings on dying with "honour" and his young friend, he felt that he had to. This Reman cult of death was a cycle these people needed to break if they were ever going to have a stab at creating a better future for themselves. He knew that and he suspected Jenvon did too.

"General, I don't know if your afterlife exists or not, and I have no doubt you and your men will have VIP places reserved to meet your loved ones if it does, but think of what you could do for your people if you were to seek asylum with us. If you and your men were to come with me and Lieutenant Dax to meet our superior officer, you can seek asylum due to you being unreasonably being forced to die here. We can put your case to the Federation and save all your lives. We have laws that allow this. Come with us and work at life, proper life for the Remans for a change.

Finding hope in death has lousy career prospects if you ask me, why not give you people hope to live for a change? If you break the cycle and come with me, show that the overlords can be defied, then who knows how many of you people may follow your lead. You dying may help your men and you score brownie points with your gods, but what about you brethren suffering on Remus? What about all those future Da'leshes who deserved something better than a life of suffering and slavery?"

Jenvon turned around sharply at the mention of his friends name and O'Brien was worried as he thought he may have blown it with him, prodded his pain a little to clumsily by bringing her up so soon as he had shared his memories. Damn he shouldn't have been so tactless. "Do not presume to lecture me on my people's plight sir! I am aware of how they suffer, we all suffer." He lowered his head in a more pensive posture and spoke, his voice quiet and thoughtful.

"I apologise Mr. O'Brien, your plan is not without merit and your compassion and integrity do you much credit. But what if I do disobey the overlords and seek asylum? They may rally around me, but then again the overlords may inflict reprisals on my people for attempting rebellion. I could end up only making things worse for them. I will have to think over what you have said chief, though I can't promise anything. At the very least, my men deserve a good death. But you are a man of honour, and I owe you the courtesy of thinking through your offer to the fullest, I shall contact you when my decision is made.

O'Brien was about to reply when Dax hailed him. "Chief, we have a slight problem, is the general there with you?" Jenvon replied "Yes lieutenant I am here, what is it you wish me to hear." Dax said urgently "The Romulans have found out somehow that we made contact with your ship and they are not happy. Captain Rodd just informed me now that they are en-route to this system alongside her ship. It doesn't sound good, you best come back chief, the captain wants us both there when commander Korvar seeks an explanation."

Jenvon frowned at hearing Korvars name, perhaps he knew him somehow. O'Brien said "Dammit, how did they find out about our meeting? If you are to think it over I'd think it over sheepish. Don't worry old friend we'll sort Korvar out for you. I'm sure Starfleet will be able to keep the Romulans off our backs. Let us know one way or the other, I'll have to head back now, see you soon."

Jenvon acknowledged him wordlessly, but O'Brien saw that he didn't seem as agitated about the "overlords" this time, perhaps he was getting through to him after all. "General" O'Brien added just before the transporter beam took him. "Your men do deserve a good death that is true. But you know what they deserve even more? The chance of a better future, for all Remans." and then the Chief was gone, leaving Jenvon alone in the dark.


	9. Facing the Music

**9. FACING THE MUSIC**

**FLEET **captain Rodds image was on the left half of the viewscreen, showing her standing in her ready room, and a very green faced commander Korvar 's took over the image on the right hand side. He wore an enormous scowl on his arrogant face, and although he said nothing it was clear he was seething with anger. He was one pissed off looking Romulan, O'Brien thought. The image of both individuals was partitioned on the screen, as was standard for a three way comm link and it was a clearly flustered captain Rodds turn to speak first. From the looks of her it looked like she'd had to do a bit of impromptu fence mending with Korvar around the whole affair.

"Commander Korvar has discovered that both of you made contact with the Gr'ver, I have explained the situation to him and as you can appreciate he is understandably unhappy with your conduct." Korvar could contain himself no more and burst out "Unhappy captain,!" His right arm shot up and he was pointing at them from his screen in an accusatory jabbing manner of someone dying to get them both in serious trouble. "Your subordinates blatantly ignored the wishes of the Romulan Navy and made contact with the Gr'ver despite our most fervent objections. Unhappy hardly covers our disgust at their behavior. They must be punished with the full force of the law for what they did. It is lucky we are in alliance or we'd ask for their extradition on charges of espionage if not for that. This is an absolute outrage."

Rodd stepped in trying to placate the irate Romulan. "As I said Korvar, we have to account for cultural differences with our new alliance. My officers thought your ship was in distress and reacted accordingly. Starfleets code of conduct does emphasise that aid must be offered to ships in distress…."

This did little to calm Korvar who snorted sarcastically "Well Starfleet's codes of conduct clearly need changing sir! They were told not to scan our ship, I don't buy it was a passive scan either by the way. They have disobeyed orders and should be cashiered with dishonour effective immediately."

O'Brien had had enough at this. This guy was out of line saying they should be booted out of the service for helping Jenvon. After what Jenvon had told him about what he'd gone through on Remus, he wasn't about to cut the Romulans any slack and he didn't care that Rodd was in earshot.

"Look Commander Korvar, we saw a ship in distress and responded accordingly. Your just upset we found the Remans on that ship and you don't want it broadcast to the universe that you send good soldiers on pointless suicide missions. You're just angry you've been found out."

Korvar sneered. "You would do well to silence that slanderous mouth of yours Earther. I knew an alliance with your lot was a mistake. You're just anarchists' intent on fomenting chaos and mayhem to any ordered systems you come across."

Captian Rodd attempted to shut Korvar up, to stop him from mouthing off even further. Emotions were running high and people were starting to voice their heated objections about the alliance, which normally simmered unspoken but were being vented in the passion of the moment. It was time to step in to prevent the whole thing exploding out of control through insults that couldn't be unsaid once a heated rant went too far. "That is not true commander. We take the respect of our allies' wishes very seriously. However we also have to respect our own codes of conduct and laws. If the crew of that ship asks for asylum, we are bound by law to look at their request as it is clear their lives are in clear and present danger. Rest assured if they do ask for asylum and it is granted, we would compensate the star empire accordingly. You are our allies after all."

Korvar was not impressed by this token of goodwill from Rodd and said. "You'd snub your war allies to help those worthless barbarians. What a set of values you people embrace."

O'Brien exploded at this "What helping oppressed people flee a senseless death. Valuing all life and not treating people as slaves. What vile anarchic deeds will we stoop to next?"

The captain shot O'Brien's spiel down with a searing glare and said "That's quite enough chief. You're in enough trouble as it is. Despite your differences, Commander Korvar is an officer of the Romulan navy and is entitled to the respect that entails.".

"What about the respect _General _Jenvon is owed due to his rank then?" asked O'Brien, to which Korvar smiled at the question. He leant towards the viwescreen in a conspiratorial manner, almost as if to pass on a closely guarded secret between them. "Do you want to know a little secret about your new friend _General _Jenvon, human, seeming as the two of you are on a first name basis these days? Yes, he is being sent to his death, but he has most certainly earned his fate in that regard, and he both knows and accepts it. Or at least he did, until you two stuck your noses into our business."

"What do you mean at that. How does any man warrant such a fate" asked O'Brien tersely.

"He disobeyed orders out of his own self serving interests, which nearly resulted in the deaths of thousands of loyal soldiers. At the ground battle at Jexagarravix Major. I'm sure he must have overlooked that part of his life story don't you think? That Reman is to consider himself lucky to be allowed to redeem himself in the field of battle in this manner, let alone be considered worthy of escaping his fate by seeking asylum. I'd be more selective in choosing my friends in future Chief O'Brien. We won't let this matter settle, not at all. Await our arrival in the system, Korvar out." and with that he was gone, leaving only Rodd's face on the comm.

"Well if you're conscientiously doing your utmost to derail this alliance, I'll have to give you ten out of ten for effort. I only hope the life of twelve Remans and their insubordinate leader are worth it."

O'Brien said. "How do we know Korvar is telling the truth about that sir? He may just be saying that to turn us against the Remans. Stall the asylum procedure. I think I've got to know Jenvon pretty well through my dealings with him. He has a sense of personal integrity that's cast iron. I don't think he would endanger lives just to save his own neck, despite what Korvar may say."

Rodd didn't look terribly convinced by his vouchsafing "You _think_ he's not guilty? Oh well that's settled it once and for all then hasn't it? Oh and speaking of the asylum request, has Jenvon formally made one yet."

O'Brien; once more, had to admit the truth. "No sir, it's a lot for a man with a death sentence to take in. He's just not familiar with Federation rules. It will take time for him to make the mental leap."

Rodd shook her head and said "We don't have time for him to do that I'm afraid. You are not to make any contact with him yourselves, if he wants to seek asylum it must be on his own initiative. We would at least have the moral imperative to help him then. But we can't interfere further in sensitive Romulan affairs as we have done. It could have very severe consequences for the alliance, and I don't need to tell you what that would do for our war effort, do I?" O'Brien couldn't believe what he was hearing; Jenvon was virtually being written off because it was politically expedient. "We can't just leave him to die sir. How do we justify that to ourselves? I've told Jenvon that he could do an enormous amount of good for his people if he's seen to stand up to the Romulans like this. He could set a precedent. Help the Remans fight back against their lot in life."

Rodd was still shaking her head "You don't understand Chief. I admire your desire to help an oppressed people, but as I said before, we have to look at the matter in the context of the war that is going on. Fomenting Reman uprisings could lead to major desertions of Reman troops, and internal turmoil for the Romulans to have to deal with, distracting them from taking the fight to the Dominion. They could very well break off the joint fleet operations with us if we were to stir things up with the Remans. We could end up losing the alliance, and Gods forbid - the war over this.

Forgive me for saying this, and I hate to have to do so, but Jenvon's non application for asylum would solve a lot of the problem we find ourselves in. It's cruel and cynical, but so is the death and destruction this war is bringing about.

We have to end this war as soon as we are able too Mr. O'Brien, and the cold hard truth of it is that we need the Romulans, and their unpleasant and tyrannical empire to do that. I'm sorry but that is the cold, brutal reality. Continue with your mission and report once you are done. Rodd out."

"_You don't understand" _they were all at it weren't they, thought O'Brien. What he did understand was that they seemed to be sacrificing more of their principles every day to fight this damned war. As if the Federations sole role in the galaxy, had been reduced to fighting the Dominion. The rise of the clandestine secret police force, the so called section 31, and the turning a blind eye to the crimes of oppressive regimes just because they were on our side in this war was proof of the disturbing trends that the privations of war was inflicting on the core values of Federation society. Just where was the line going to finally be drawn in all this he wondered?

"Well lieutenant it seems that Jenvons fate has been sealed doesn't it. I can't hold out much hope that he'll voluntarily seek asylum. He's just not worth us wasting our efforts to save apparently."

Dax said "As awful as the possibilities of the potential fall out from saving his life are, it still seems wrong to just let him die like that. I'm under no illusions that the normal niceties of peacetime aren't always a luxury we can afford in war, but we've still got to look at all the options though. I can't see how we can just walk away from this. It's wrong. We better finish off down here Chief, I'm always at my most lateral minded when working. I'm not quite ready to give up on the general yet, and I'm thinking that you aren't either."

Chief O'Brien confirmed Dax's hunch and said "Too right Lieutenant. There's a bit too much of the ends justify the means going on in Starfleet since the war kicked off. There's a solution, a third way out there so to speak. We just have to find it." They both resumed completing the finishing touches to the base and O'Brien thought to himself how to come up a solution to help Jenvon without fracturing the alliance. He just wished however, that the solution wasn't so damned elusive.

10.


	10. A Decision is Made

**10. THE DECISION IS MADE**

**CHEIF **O'Brien had just finished phasering in half, the last of the load bearing cables that were embedded into the walls of the base themselves in order to reduce the structural integrity of the base. When the charges he planted blew, he wanted the entire base to be reduced to nothing more than a pile of rubble, with nothing remotely salvageable. He'd just finished this when the com system beeped into life, nearly giving him a heart attack due to his surprise at receiving an unscheduled transmission, as Dax was only in the next room and could have easily called out to him herself if the need be.

He momentarily wondered who it could be, when suddenly the penny abruptly dropped and he rushed over to answer the comm, eager to speak to who he suspected was on the other end. As he had rightly guessed, the palid image of a Reman filled the screen, and now it was general Jenvons turn to make a house call.

"Chief O'Brien, I have taken your words into consideration and I have made my final decision, I wish to formally request asylum for my crew and myself. I surrender our lives to the custody of your Federation authorities. You were right; staying here is a pointless death sentence for all of us. Although we may well reap the posthumous rewards; what of my people suffering in the here and now? In death we would abandon them. In choosing the path of life, my crew and I may inspire others of my kind to follow suit, to strive for a better deal for all Remans. If I lead the way in doing this, my brethren may decide to follow me. How many more like Da'lesh will have to suffer the consequences voiceless and victimised all their lives? To be snuffed out before their potential was ever allowed to blossom, never having the opportunity to enrich us all by living a happy and fulfilled existance. If no one ever speaks for them, what hope for all who may follow in Da'leshes tragic footsteps, and suffer her cruel fate? In her memory, in the memeory of all Remans who lived and died without ever experiencing even a brief flicker of happiness and contentment, I feel obliged to break the cycle and seek sanctury with your people. The oppression must end now."

O'Brien agreed wholeheartedly with Jenvons sentiments of course, but he still needed to know if what Korvar had said had any grain of truth in it, so he decided to test him a little bit.

"Yes of course it must general. Though you wouldn't possibly have other motives for seeking asylum would you?"

Jenvon looked genuinely confused at this. "No Chief O'Brien, my intentions are just what I stated, what other reason might I have? After convincing me so insistently to walk this path, I find myself confused as to why you would ask such a question.

O'Brien said "I thought as much general, but it was just something Korvar said to me. Something about why you were sent here. He said you disobeyed orders and nearly lost the battle of Jexagarrovex because of it. If there's something you're not telling me about your exile here, I need to know. The Romulans are quite frankly going to hit the roof when they hear you make your request. We absolutely cannot give them any ammunition to block your application; you have to be totally up front with me here."

The look of confusion began to lift from Jenvons expression, as he finally realised why O'Brien was asking all these strange questions. He said quietly "Do you trust me Chief? Do you believe me to be a duplicitous being."

"No General. I think you are one of the most selfless and honourable individuals a man could ever meet. My own opinion is that Korvar is just trying to drive a wedge between us, he seems that sort of overlord." said O'Brien, giving his answer.

Jenvon said "What qualifies for disobeying orders can be a subjective matter Chief. In commander Korvar's eyes, I probably did disobey orders, but I swear on the soul of Da'lesh, that my actions on Jexagarraovex at no time ever put soldiers lives in jeopardy, despite what the commander might have told you. Despite him stranding us here."

O'Brien sighed at this revelation. Jenvon had held something g back after all. This wouldn't go down well with Starfleet, and may even cause Jenvon's application to be rejected on the spot. "I hope to god this new twist doesn't affect your asylum request general. You should have been upfront about it. Oh and how can a mere commander banish a general anyway? Why didn't you tell him to take a running jump?"

Jenvon seemed curiously intrigued at O'Brien's suggestion. It was probably unheard of for a Reman to have acted so impertinently towards an overseer, however much they might have deserved it, though from the looks of it, Jenvon might have thought it, on essence; not to have been a bad idea in theory.

"Reman ranks are exclusive only to Reman divisions. Even the highest ranking of our troops are by default, always outranked by even the lowliest of overlord Uh'lans. Back to your original question though. From Korvars perspective I did disobey orders, but I don't think you would have seen it as such. Your ways, and code of conduct are not that of the overlords after all." To which O'Brien responded. "Try me Jenvon."

"We were told to pull all of our forces off the planet at the 28th hour of the overseer day. I was about to rejoin the rest of my men when I was caught by a glancing blow to the leg by a Jem'hadar weapon. We had been deployed to provide protective fire for the overseer commando units who had stormed the military command and control post, and were to provide further cover as they subseuently returned back to the landing area. I fell and was immobilized just inside the front entrance of the base. Normal military procedure dictated that I should have been left there and the remaining troops under my command escort the overlords out. I was expendable and surplus to military requirements.

However amongst my troops was my brother and second in command G'krikk, who insisted on helping me to my feet and allowing me to escape with my life. By doing this he had disobeyed orders, and delayed the evacuation, potentially put the lives of the commandos at risk. I was also deemed to have disobeyed orders in letting him do this, instead of putting up resistance; telling him to leave me and obey the overlords direct orders. I'd been shot Chief, you must understand that. My injuries had rendered me dazed. I wasn't really fully aware of what was happening."

Chief O'Brien was stunned. "Are you telling me you have been sent here to die, because you didn't chastise your brother for not letting him leave you to your fate? That's insane. Did any of the commandos actually buy it in the evacuation anyway?"

Jenvon shook his head. "All of them were accounted for Chief and the mission was resounding success. But in the overlords eyes the damage was done. I could never be trusted on the battlefield again to lead troops, as I obviously valued my own life, and those of the men under me, at the expense of being willing to unquestionably sacrifice myself for the overlords. A loose cannon so to speak. So now I find myself here. My "arrogance" at allowing myself to preserve my life back there, all for nothing as my men and I die a senseless death here, knowing that is the fate of Remans who have ideas above their station. G'krikk was of course, executed on the spot as soon as Korvar found out what he'd done. All my family gone now, awaiting me at Enta'L'hia, but we aren't quite ready to meet, not just yet."

O'Brien was disgusted at what he'd heard. He couldn't believe anybody could be so calculatedly evil to another intelligent being. How Jenvon's brothers only crime was to save his CO and family member from a pointless death. O'Brien didn't care about the fallout of Jenvons defection any more. He couldn't allow Starfleet to turn a blind eye to people who behaved this disgracefully, ally or not.

He offered comfort to his hard done by buddy, and said to Jenvon "Don't worry old friend, we'll start the ball rolling, make the overlords see they can't treat your people like this anymore. You don't deserve to die here because your brother did what any brother would do automatically. In fact your case may be pretty much watertight, once thery learn the truth about why you were so callously sent here.

Our commanding officers ship is due to arrive in the system at any moment. Unfortunately, Korvar's ship is accompanying her though. But if we stand tall together though and tell her the truth, then the man who banished you here won't have a leg to stand on."

Jenvon looked agitated when he heard that Korvar was on his way, and said with alarm in his voice. "The overlords are in this system, with a ship? They may not have a moral "leg to stand on" so to speak, but they have other more deadly tools at their disposal. All Reman soldiers have an small detonator placed at the back of the brains hypothalamus. The overlords put them in as an anti mutiny countermeasure. In the event that Reman troops might rise up and take arms against them, they can remotely activate the bombs and kill us instantly. I don't know the range from where they can detonate it is exactly, but it might be able to be activated in a solar system wide radius."

O'Brien placated Jenvon and said. "I'm sure we can activate a forcefield to try to dampen it. They won't be here for at least fourteen hours. If I study it I'm sure I can jury rig a little something to jam their remote sensors. It'll be a "what would Scotty do moment."" Jenvon looked confused at this remark and said "Scotty?"

O'Brien chuckled at his understandable confusion "He's perhaps the most famous engineer in Starfleet history. Wonderfully lateral minded man. By studying his methods you can usually pull off just about any engineering feat, short of turning this systems star off with that switch over there."

Dax came rushing over to them both, something was clearly up and she came straight out with what was bothering her. "Have you finished with the charges Chief? We might have to make a hasty retreat. The Pya'Chl have been detected on sensors and are returning to Zalod earlier than expected. Captain Rodd told me that the battle went better than expected for them, and the Dominion is allowing them to return here earlier than planned, for good behavior. We'd better move now. She's going to set course to rendezvous straight here, with Korvars ship in tow " "I'm on my way sir. We can be straight off now."

Dax nodded and she gathered their belongings. O'Brien turned to Jenvon. "We'll sort something even though there's been a slight change of plan. The Pya'Chl have been picked up entering this system, so our command ship is on its way right now, unfortunately so is Korvar. We'll head back to our ship, and you and your men await my hail for further instructions in how we'll. Although this is a setback, we'll have to overcome it."

Jenvon frowned. "It seems that this setback may jeopardize me and my men before resolution is reached. If that is the case, I thank you for your efforts, even if we do not survive this."

O'Brien was hearing none of this defeatist talk. They were way past that now, and he wasn't going to settle for eleventh hour failure. "We'll find a way sir. Fighting lost causes is part and parcel of my Gaelic DNA"

Jenvon just nodded at this and signed off, though he clearly didn't understand the Gaelic reference, and why would he? O'Brien thought about the engineering tips of Scotty and found he suddenly stumbled toward one of the more prominent ones he remembered. "If you can, kill two birds with one stone.". It was time to leave Zalod.


	11. Retreat

**11. RETREAT**

**TWO **fiery comets appeared above Zalods horizon. One heading for Dax and O'Brien's base. The other, heading towards the Reman stronghold. Their approach was too vectored, and too much of a coincidence for them to be natural. They were the returning enemy forces reentering on an atmospheric insertion flight plan.

The Sabre class assault ship had been remotely piloted down from orbit, as the window of stealth provided when the Pya'Chl ships sensors were obscured during re-entry, would give them chance to escape, rather than being bloasted from orbit. The final modifications to the craft were complete and they ere ready to take advantage of this window that the laws of physics had given them.

They ascended and the viewscren was fixed to aft view, the incandescence around the Pya'chl ships had subsided now they had reduced speed in the atmosphere, and they headed towards the primed base. It was time they were denied their prize.

O'Brien remotely detonated the base and it went up in a glorious fireball, the concussion and vaccuum from the explosion generating shockwaves which could be felt even from the rapidly ascending sabre, and a mushroom cloud was produced as well. The Pya'Chl cruiser headed towards the base and deployed smaller fighter craft to persue the more agile sabre ship. Their flying was aggressive in style, Pya'Chl troops were raised to anger easily, and wasting that base must have pissed them off no end, O'Brien thought.

Dax's hands furiously worked the controls as the ship dodged the flurry of azure disrupter volleys coming from the fighters. O'Brein activated the viewscreen to debrief captain Rodd of their current status.

"Sir the base is totally destroyed. Nothing would have survived the blast. We're on our way back to the protection of your ship at co-ordinates 345 mark 17."

Captain Rodd smiled at the good news "Good work you two. We'll meet you at the rendezvous, get here as soon as your engines can muster it Chief. We've picked up a Jem'Hadar ship escorting the Pya'Chl. Pya' tech isn't as good as ours but with a Dominion ship in the region, we may not want to hang around. Oh and much as I hate to bring it up, what of the Reman situation, are they to request sanctury?"

O'Brien couldn't meet the captains gaze, and his expression gave it away before he voiced the answer himself. "No sir. Jenvon was tempted at one point, but decided it was best if he stayed behind to "do his duty" for the empire. Said he had received a tip off from Remus, that the Remans back in the mines would suffer the horrible consequences, if he was to come with us. That his men felt it was better to die on Zalod, rather than risk losing out in their afterlife if they lived. How could he deny them that; take that away from them as their commanding officer? It's so unfair sir. Dying for an empire that hates them, and has nothing but contempt for their sacrifices."

Rodd spoke quietly, respecting the Chiefs sorrow over his friends fate . "We must make sure his sacrifice is not in vain. Even the small losses fore the enemy are victories none the less. We ourselves can posthumously appreciate his bravery, even if his own empire cannot."

O'Brien thought the captians sentiments rang hollow under the circumstances, and gave a narrative report on the sensor activity he picked up from the Reman camp. "Sir I'm detecting activity from Jenvons forces, the bases disruptors are firing at the approaching warship – Pya'Chl troops appear to be beaming down into the Reman camp. The warship is strafing the base, but the base is putting up heavy resistance. Picking up disrupter discharges from within the base, now there are only eleven Reman life signs. Warship is bombing the main concourse of the base and is breaching the shields. Seven, six Reman lifesigns, but corresponding Pya'Chl signs are diminishing too. Base has fired torpedoes at the ship and ship appears to be on unsteady attack vector as if severely damaged. More Pya'Chl forces entering base, down to four Reman signs. No make that two now – continued exchanges of fire with the base, something has to give sir. Just one Reman now, base firing remaining weapons –."

The chief's commentary was cut off as their ship was raked by a lucky shot from the Pya'Chl. "Damn the fighters have got hits in at us now. How's the matrix holding up leiutenenat, those Pya'Chl graviton cascade pulses aren't having too much of a destabilizing effect are they?"

Dax answered "No Chief, but the graviton shear is playing hell with our shields, transporting life support to shields and engines to get some space between us. Matrix normalising."

As the shuddering from the impact had died down, Chief O'Brien went once more to the telemetry, "Massive damage to base, Reman lifesign faint, explosions on Pya'Chl ship... Hold on, ship on collision course with the base... Three .. Two... Reman lifesign almost at zero.. One..." Chief O'Brien switched the readings off "It's over sir, they're both gone now. Our loss is Enta'L'hia's gain."

Rodd didn't seem to understand the reference, but said wistfully "Gods, I doubt many meet their end with as much bravery as general Jenvon did. You're almost in range of our shields, we'll extend them around you and then warp away as fast as we can. That Jem'Hadar ships headed your way."

O'Brien saw that the captain's flagship was on screen now, and they were just outside of its weapons range when the attack craft was suddenly rocked by violent convulsions as it was struck by some forcefield that made the superstructure groan and buckle.

Dax shouted "Direct hit Chief, the graviton cascade has knocked out our shields totally and we've taken hull damage, we'll have to try and divert power from other locations to recharge them to buy us time." "We may lose the ships matrix if we do? Damn! |So close, and now this, we have..."

She was about to finish the sentence when a Valdore class Romulan warbird decloaked right in front of them, its disruptor banks spewing forth ugly green fire, and for a moment O'Brien assumed the worst, Korvar was going to shoopt them down in revenge for siding with the Remans. But they weren't the target of the warbirds firepower, the Pya'Chl were, and the unsuspecting fighters were blown to bits as they were overwhelmed by the fierce volley.

Dax, just as stunned by this sudden and unexpected change in their fortunes as the chief was, piloted up to the captains ship, and the ships shields were synched to allow them to pas without being deflected. O'Brien reported "Matrix is stable, we're in one piece and we're all home and dry. I'd say that's mission complete and the ales are on me." Dax smiled "Couldn't agree more chief, deactivating matrix now and were done here for good."

The viewscreen lit up to indicate that they were being hailed and onscreen popped up the images of captain Rodd and Commander Korvar, who didn't have quite as much of a scowl on him as usual. Rodd said "Welcome back you two, you had us worried there at the end, but a fantastic job all round. Commander Korvar, thank you for your assistance in helping our officers return here to us safe and sound."

Korvar did a half bow, and said with a slight air of sarcasm "Think nothing of it captain. We respect our alliance wholeheartedly, even if some are prone to rocking the boat now and then. What are allies for, after all?"

Korvar turned to O'Brien and said. "I don't know if I should almost thank you on some level. It appears you seem to have made Jenvon come to his senses and accept his fate like a true warrior. The Remans may be brutes, but they can be tenacious on the battlefield. If Jenvon hadn't succumbed to his own selfish impulses, he may have become commander in chief of the Reman forces. But like all his kind, he knew his true place in the end."

O'Brien couldn't bring himself to look at Korvar for fear of what he might have said to him. How he belittled Jenvons bravery, and all his people suffered, with his snide comments. How could Korvar be so much of a jerk that he wanted to thump the very man who had saved his life, he wondered? O'Brien decided it was best to said nothing, and settled for returning Korvars half bow in acknowledgement.

Rodd said "Right, let's get you both back to the barn, we're on the move. Dock at hangar bay 2 and meet me for debrief at fourteen hundred... Hold on."

Rodd turned away form them, distracted by the bustle going on behind her, they heard her say "...In cargo bay 4. Take a team..." She gestured for the ensign giving her a situation report, to let her finish addressing them. "Stay where you are for the moment. We have a new situation going on in cargo bay 4." Dax said "What do you mean? Is it enemy activity?" Rodd who was still trying to listen to about three people at once, said rather distractedly "We don't know, but we're picking up intruders, in cargo bay four. There are twelve of them and they've just beamed aboard."


	12. Mission Accomplished

**12. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED**

"**ARE **you two going to disobey any more orders today, or have you exhausted your retinue of insubordanate acts now?" asked a clearly angry Captian Rodd, who was circling in on them and squaring up to them as she delivered her dressing down. She was clearly not impressed by the latest stunt they'd pulled, even though Chief O'Brien was impressed by the technical feat they'd managed to pull, notwithstanding the moral feat; even though both could easily result in himself and Dax being kicked out of Starfleet for what they'd done. "I don't know whether to throw you in the brig, have you court-martialed or congratulate you for what you've done. Maybe you deserve all three."

Chief O'Brien stiffened a little and looked captain Rodd squarely in the eye, not as an aggressive gesture, but to show that although he had gone against orders, it had been down to a sense of conviction and moral necessity. He said "It was the only way we could save the lives of the Remans, without letting their anti mutiny detonators be activated by Korvar, and to preserve the alliance by letting them escape under the Romulans noses. I couldn't have lived with myself if we'd left them to it. We had to help them escape."

Captain Rodd put her hand up; a gesture to tell him to save his excuses. "Well both of you left us with no choice but to let them stow away on our ship, did you! Leaving aside the fact we've gone behind an ally's back for a second. It was an enormous risk to beam the Remans to the cargo bay like that; we thought enemy forces were boarding us. It was lucky a firefight was averted."

Dax spoke up. "Our plan to store the Remans transporter patterns in a diagnostic cycle in the buffers, so that we could smuggle them off the planet without their onboard lifesigns showing on the Romulan sensors, meant we had to initiate rematerialisation as soon as we could, in order to prevent irreversible pattern degradation, we couldn't be too choosy about where we materialised them once we had entered inside your shield bubble. It was a risk, but it was one that paid off. The Romulans didn't suspect a thing"

Rodd turned her back to them and clasped her hands behind her back and she said stiffly "For how long though lieutenant? You know how fast information travels these days. One of the media outlets discover that we covertly helped Remans escape, they'll have a field day. It'd be naïve to think news of this won't leak out. Especially if you've convinced the Remans that they should broadcast their emancipation to their fellow oppressed.

Despite her anger towards the pair, the captain needed to satiate her curiosity about their audacious plan, and she said to them "How did come up with the idea to smuggle them in the pattern buffers? Wasn't it risky doing that for the time they were in animation, you could easily have lost their patterns in situ "

"I told Jenvon that if you need to Maguffin your way out of a situation, you just had to think what Scotty would do, so I did just that. Just before I left the Enterprise for DS9, we found the great man himself, after he'd been found in his ship that had crash landed on that Dyson sphere we discovered that year. He'd done just what we did with the transporter, to store his pattern to survive while he awaited rescue. I just took a leaf out of his book and applied it to smuggle Remans off Zalod." O'Brien answered.

Rodd eyed O'Brien with suspicion, as if she didn't believe the story was possible. "How long was his pattern in the buffer Chief?" O'Brien smiled as he gave her the figure "Seventy five years sir. Amazing invention the transporter, isn't it sir?" "Seventy five years. Quite" said the captain who was stunned that such a thing was possible.

"But how did you fake the lifesigns, the battle in the sensor post? Who was firing those disruptors down there. That was some impressive deflection shooting, I have a hard time believing that was done remotely.

Dax said "We rigged the EM emitters and the sensors in the outpost to put out fake Reman lifesigns, as well as rigging up live disrupters throughout the base, programmed to fire blast cycles consistent with discharges you'd typically read from a ground battle. We switched the lifeform readings and disruptors off accordingly, from the Sabre to simulate casualties. But the disrupters were live, and Pya'Chl lifesigns would have been real. The Pya'Chl would have been in for a shock even though there was no-one down there, what with the unmanned disruptors firing all over the place."

O'Brien said "We say no-one, but one man remained to man the disrupter turrets. We couldn't fake that convincingly and they'd have to be fired by an operator to work as effectively as they did. Jenvon was the last to remain, to pull his part off for the illusion to play out in in full. He was beamed away, about the time the Pya'Chl ship was taken out, just before it collided with the outpost."

Rodd seemed a little awed at the sheer outrageousness of their little scheme and said "It was still terribly risky, with so many margins for error. You subterfuge was all encompassing, but the Romulans could easily have discovered the lifesigns were faked had they really studied the telemetry. They still could if they go back and double check the sensor logs they made."

O'Brien provided an explanation to how they accommodated this issue to captain Rodd. "Yes sir there was that risk to be sure, but remember that the Romulans only cared about the Remans when they knew we were trying to help them, apart from that they were content to just abandon them to die and forget about them. They didn't seem concerned that we were near that ship until we made contact. I suspect when they heard Jenvon and his men had stayed, and saw them "die" in the "battle", they were content that the Remans had gone to their deaths like good martyrs. Problem solved, and that was that as far as they were concerned. Huh what do they know?" It was O'Brien's turn to ask questions now and he said "Captain, may I make one request? I know that I probably shouldn't, not after what we did…." The captain stopped him. "Mr O'Brien, I won't deny I am annoyed that the two of you disobeyed order, but we do not churn out Starfleet officers to be mindless Borg drones. Or to view sentient life as expendable as some in the Romulan officer class might do. You acted in good conscience and as there has been no fall out, well as yet anyway – I am sure that I can have the matter overlooked and just settle for a reprimand for you both. I'm sure you'll be as keen to move forward from the whole affair, as I am."

O'Brien said graciously "Thank you sir that is very kind of you. As for my request, would it be possible for me to go and see Jenvon. He and his men weren't hurt in any way were they? Is he up to visitors yet as I'm keen to send my regards to him." Rodd was slow to answer him, and O'Brien felt a knot in the pit of his stomach, something was up and from the captain's expression, when he mentioned his name, it meant that it probably wasn't good news. "Of the twelve Remans that were beamed aboard, all were in good health aside from a few bumps and bruises you'd expect to see on front line troops, as well as some ailments that were due to the cold." O'Brien, who had tension in his voice said "But there were thirteen Remans. Jenvon?" The captain stared at the floor for a second and said "You haven't been told have you. It appears Jenvon's pattern was lost completely. I am so sorry Chief, there is no physical trace of the General we can locate. Jenvon, as far as we can tell; is gone."


	13. EPILOGUE

**EPILOGUE.**

**THE **Jem Hadar soldiers all stood to attention as their genetic make up demanded of them, as their new passenger entered the bridge of the Dominion fighter ship. The passenger surveyed the small bridge and inspected the deferential soldiers who were stood so stiffly at attention, that they almost resembled statues rather than living; breathing beings. He allowed himself the indulgence of basking in the automatic deference they showed him, even though it was sometimes dampened in the knowledge that it was programmed into them from before they emerged from their birthing chambers, rather than being borne out of an appreciation of his own merits.

He thought that in his current outward façade, it was a pleasant change from the scorn his supposed "birthright" brought him by default. As he looked round, he was glad to be back on a Dominion ship once more, and "General Jenvon", or the founder that had taken his form, took his rightful place at the centre of the bridge next to the Vorta field supervisor.

"Jenvon" thought back at the whole affair on Zalod, and his mission to infiltrate the Romulan Empire as a Reman general. Jenvon; the real one that was – had actually died on Jexagarravix Major, not just tripped up by a glancing shot as everyone had thought. He'd replaced him there as he'd been shot out the sight of his men, the body vapourised, whereupon "Jenvon" would have returned to his "men" However Jenvons brother disobeyed orders to look for him, and caught them by surprise, so he had to fake an injury on the fly, so that the brother wouldn't suspect.

He remembered the strange mixed emotions he felt as he lay there. Like all those in the great link he was wary of solids, the cruelties and venality of the monoforms towards his kind were hardwired into him since he had first been linked as a neonate.

However he was impressed by the bravery of the courageous, if rather reckless Reman. How "noble" the solid had been in risking it all to save what he thought was his brother, not an enemy out to destroy the ungrateful empire he was fighting for. The nefarious Korvar put the Reman to death for high treason of course, and stranded "Jenvon" and his blameless men on Zalod, as a spiteful and vindictive act of vengeance from a solid who wouldn't know nobility if it slapped him on his smug Romulan face.

The solids always did that; one would behave so selflessly, it could shake the foundations of the innate prejudice about them, the link possessed. But then another would go and blow it, just confirming that they were as rotten to the core as the consensus of the link believed.

Being stranded on Zalod might have put a dampener on his original mission, as a respected Reman of note; to spark revolution and dissent amongst his oppressed countrymen, in order destabilise the hated Romulan Empire as punishment for declaring war on the Dominion, and for their part in the attack on the original homeworld of the founders.

This Jem Hadar ship was supposed to "rescue" him from the onslaught where "Jenvon" would escape his Dominion captors where hew would give word to his enslaved people that his former captors were willing to help end their servitude. But the arrival of the human solid, O'Brien had changed the perimeters of the mission once more.

He had realised on Zalod, that the humans disgust at the lot of the Remans, and his willingness to defy his superiors and alienate the delicate alliance they had with the Romulans, could work massively in the founders favour to cause severe ructions in the enemies combined war effort. It was not the first time these alpha quadrant solids unwittingly did the Dominons work for them!

Perhaps Jenvon could appear once more as if by magic, somehow managing to have survived the battle and being captured by the Dominion. He was sure the link could concoct some elaborate cover story, if not it might be down to the human boy who was exiled on Remus, to lead the revolt. That was assuming he didn't get everyone killed in the process. He was highly strung like that. But imagine what would happen when the Federation discovered who he really was though.

Again he felt the mixed emotions he'd felt as the Reman tended his beloved older brother, and the human risked his career and his life to help a stranger to help himself and his people end the abject slavery they endured, so angered was he at their plight. Such honour and self sacrifice from a "mere" monoform!

The founder realised had that O'Briens words, and his mission to foment dissent had the potential to unleash more power than a fleet of warships. Ideas could change the galaxy for all, and this was going to be a long protracted war for all, between the founders and these new solids in the Alpha quadrant. Perhaps if he was to share these examples of what the solids could be at their best that the war; the casualties and destruction could be…..

He almost dismissed this; he knew how old ideas died hard in the link. But new ideas had power, perhaps even to change the most trenchant of established beliefs. But for now, he was willing to settle for more modest ambitions, as he was about to add his own personal touch to how the battle of Zalod should reach its final conclusion.

He addressed the Vorta, who advised him that the Federation and Romulan ships had warped out the system, and should they persue to kill. He addressed the Vorta in the imperious manner a founder always addressed them. They seemed to like it that way.

"The Federation ship we shall let that go. The free Remans on that ship are an important and dangerous sign for the Romulans. They will be displeased to say the least when they discover that their allies have offered them sanctuary behind their back. It may also encourage other Remans to follow suit, possibly even mutiny in the slave mines of the Romulan Empire. Not what one needs during war. Anyway, the solid who "rescued" my crew and me, is on that ship. War or not, it just wouldn't be the done thing to blast him to space dust as thanks would it now? And I don't think the link would appreciate me shooting one of our own down would they. The founder who has taken the form of Captain Rodd is one of our finest infiltrators in the link. Nice bit of work "she" did, managing to surreptitiously make Korvar aware of what O'Brien and Dax were up to with me on Zalod. Stir things up like that, and not to arouse suspicion at all.."

The Vorta nodded, as reverently as his people always were in the presence of a founder. But he looked a bit nervous that he nearly proposed shooting a ship with one of his gods on board. He wasn't to know after all, "Jenvon" thought "The gods are as compassionate in their judgement as they are wise in their outlook. That ship will not be harmed; you have my assurances of that."

Keeping the same imperious tone he replied "See to it that you don't. However commander Korvar and his ship are a different matter completely. As he seems so keen to send troops under his command to their deaths in some twisted belief in satiating their warriors honour, let us discover if he relishes such a fate for himself. Set course to persue the Romulan warship and open fire when we are in range. I'm sure the real Jenvon would have appreciated the irony of the person being sent to their execution, ending up himself executing his potential executor."

Though the founder thought that the Reman belief in the Enta'Lhia was just the primitive wish fulfilment superstitions of the oppressed, he found himself on some level, wishing he could picture Jenvon smiling at them, in his peoples afterlife reunited with his family and Da'lesh once more. If everything O'Brien had believed about Jenvon was a lie, the story of his loved ones were true, obtained form the secret thoughts he wrote in his private logs that the founder had perused to pass himself off as Jenvon.

More surprisingly the founder posing as Jenvon found himself smiling back at the mental image of he who he impersonated. How odd he thought, must have been posing as a solid too long.

The Vorta shook him out of his daydream when he said "Yes founder consider it done. Commander Korvar and his ship will never make it back to Romulan space alive; we should be in range in six minutes. Do you wish to be bestowed with the honour of giving the order to fire yourself founder?"

The founder responded "No, that's not necessary. Men of honour may deserve that privilege, but not Korvar. He's just a worthless solid the galaxy is better off without. You may terminate him at will on contact." The Vorta nodded and the founder realised that Jenvon's image no longer looked back at him in his minds eye. Jenvon had finally come home.


End file.
